


Let's Not Call it That

by GuyWhoWaited



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha/Beta, First Time Blow Jobs, Gay Sex, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-28
Updated: 2014-09-28
Packaged: 2018-02-19 04:19:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 11
Words: 26,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2374271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GuyWhoWaited/pseuds/GuyWhoWaited
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a time of brief peace after the events of La Iglesia, Liam finds that his yearning for Scott's approval might just be something more, something romantic. Yet Scott is always holding back, always hiding something. He says it is dangerous to love him. He says people who love him get hurt. Liam struggles to change that and bring his Alpha around.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Scents

_THUMP. THUMP. THUMP-THUMP. THUMP-THUMP. THUMP-THUMP-THUMP._

Liam’s heart pounded in his ears as he ran, leaping over logs and darting around trees as he sped through the forest as fast as he could. The landscape around him blurred and shifted, shapes moving by too quickly to be made out. The moon, large but still far from full, floated high in the sky above, its light casting sharp shadows through the canopy of trees at the same time that it provided enough light to see. Enough for Liam anyway. A human might find the view difficult, but his golden eyes flared bright and gave him everything he needed to run towards the fenced in area ahead of him. Everyone in Beacon Hills knew that house. Or rather, what used to be that house. Now it was a pile of fenced in rubble, slowly being cleared for something else to be built there. Clawed feet and hands grabbed tight to the chain link fence, propelling Liam up and over it in less than half the time he could’ve climbed it before.

The boy landed with a light impact on the other side of the fence, breathing heavily. His chest rose and fell, his gray t-shirt holding tight to his chest as he did so. Liam was not a large boy. He was only fifteen, and could hardly be considered a bodybuilder under any standards, yet ever since he received the bite, he had begun to fill out his frame very fast. Coach thought he was on steroids.

“Five minutes thirty-two seconds.” Scott’s voice sounded proud. He smiled at Liam, and the younger boy couldn’t help but return it. He had never tried to earn the approval of the older boy, despite being his Beta, but he couldn’t lie and say that he didn’t enjoy being the focus of Scott’s attention at the moment. He also couldn’t deny that pleasing Scott was gratifying, much like making your parents happy or getting a good grade on a test, except perhaps better than both.

“You’re getting faster for sure.” The older boy put the stopwatch into a pocket of the striped, zip-up hoodie that was currently pulled tightly around his face. Scott’s voice was firm and warm, even if his breath was visible as he talked. Liam shuddered as his heart rate slowed. He felt the cold of November air seep into his bones, and he instinctively grabbed both arms for warmth, exhaling swiftly and creating his own white cloud. Scott seemed to get pulled out of his own revelry by the action, picking up Liam’s jacket from where he had taken it off just over five minutes ago and draping it over the boy’s shoulders.

Liam pulled the jacket close to him, grateful for the extra layer of cotton. He noted again something he’d have to learn how to do. Scott wore jackets and pants like anyone else, sure, but the cold barely seemed to ever affect him. Werewolves are abnormally warm, Liam thought to himself. It would come with time. Becoming a proper werewolf was kind of like puberty all over again. He was constantly finding his body changing in ways he hadn’t ever been cognitive of before. Like touch. He had woken one morning to find the sheer sensation of his blankets against him like a whole new kind of experience. He had managed to bring it under control now, but there were days in which he had been on edge all day, every brush in the hallway and rustle of clothing magnified tenfold. “Thanks.” He said simply in reply, both for the jacket and the note of pride in his growing accomplishments.

Scott moved to put his arm around Liam, but stopped himself just shy of the action, instead waving him forward and beginning to walk off from the wreckage of the Hale Manor. Liam had noticed that several times. A half-started gesture was restrained, and Scott’s face would suddenly look steely or detached, like he was stopping himself from doing it and trying to forget he did it all at once. He wanted to ask about it, but Liam wasn’t quite sure what was allowed. Scott was his Alpha, and although he seemed by far the nicest and most accepting Alpha ever (if Stiles and Lydia’s stories about other Alphas were true), Liam didn’t want to cross a line by prying too deeply. Scott’s past was his own to tell, like Liam’s was his. He would tell him in time, if he didn’t press it.

As they walked in relative silence, Liam sized up his Alpha like he’d done a thousand times before. The result was always the same. Scott was taller than Liam, but not by a lot. Six inches, maybe, separated the two. Scott’s shoulders were definitely wider though. Apparently Liam would continue to fill out, and he would soon resemble Scott musculature. To hear Stiles tell it, Scott used to look like, well, like Stiles. Still, Liam looked at his own shoulders, which were still pretty narrow. He was built for running, not plowing through walls or throwing cars or anything. He felt a little inadequate at the moment, and wanted to break the silence somehow, to get his mind off of it. “Where are we going now?” He asked, knowing it was a stupid question. Still, anything was better than not talking. Scott was stoic, and Liam was so uncertain of everything, that when they were alone together, silence tended to reign between them.

“It’s not far. We’ve determined that you’re getting faster, for sure. But being one of us is more than just speed or strength.” Scott had said that many times, it was as close to a wise saying as his Alpha had. He meant it too. Scott almost never won his confrontations by using physical strength or speed. He was smart, cunning, and relied on his friends. That was what made him a True Alpha, whatever that meant. Derek said that it meant he didn’t steal his power from someone else, that he had risen by his own strength of character. That was what Brett called it. “So we’re going to practice something that might save your life one day.”

Scott stopped in what looked like just a random spot of forest. He pulled his hood back and breathed deeply before nodding. “Here.” He said. It looked no different than any other spot Liam had been able to see thus far. Scott tapped his nose. “Breathe deeply.” He said. “A wolf’s sense of smell is much stronger than a human’s.” Liam did as he was instructed, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. The place was a mixture of scents. The earthy, metallic scent of fresh earth, along with the crisp smell of autumn air. Surely he wasn’t here to smell the woods. He sniffed again, filtering them out. The next scent was strong. It didn’t smell like anything in particular. Yet it was strong. It was more of a feeling than anything else. It felt like clean clothes right out the dryer and warm arms pulled tight around you. It smelled a little like cinnamon too. Liam thought about how he could describe the smells. He opened his eyes.

He was only a step away from Scott. He had been much farther away before. It was then that he understood what he had smelled. He was smelling Scott. “Um, you smell good.” Liam said, growing flushed.

Scott cracked a smile and laughed. “Really? I hadn’t showered yet.” He said simply, turning his head and sniffing himself.

“Maybe that’s why the scent is so strong.” Liam managed to get out, his face crimson in embarrassment. “Is this what you wanted to show me?” He was eager for any change of subject.

“Not quite. Ignore my scent, sniff deeper.” He made it sound easy, to just ignore this scent which had completely encapsulated him.

Still, trying to push Scott’s scent to the back of his mind (but definitely not forgetting it), he tried one more time. He had to take a moment to be certain, but he smelled something. It was faint, like it was almost gone. Liam guessed it was old. “There’s something here. It’s old.” He said, trying to commit it to memory. He crouched low to the ground, bending over to get his nose closer to where the scent was.

Scott smiled, but not in pride. He smelled it too, and it was making him remembering something. This spot was special to him for some reason.

“Whose scent is it?” Liam asked, lifting his head up and looking directly at Scott. He knew as soon as he asked that it was the wrong thing to say.

Scott grew distant. “A friend.” He said uncertainly. “They’re gone now.” He looked like he wanted to continue, but he held himself back again. “But you’ve done good. I wanted to see if you could pick up an old scent, and you did.” Unlike before, the praise wasn’t warm, and it didn’t make Liam feel good. He felt like he’d messed up somehow.

“Did I do something wrong?” Liam said, taking a step closer to Scott. Only one more step remained between them now.

Scott shook his head, turning away from Liam. “No. You did good, really. But we’re done for today. See you tomorrow, okay?” He grabbed the hoodie of his jacket and pulled it up again, holding it snugly as he crunched off through the forest.

“Scott?” Liam felt very cold, despite his jacket.


	2. Friendships

“Okay man, what’s up?” Mason’s face was always cheerful, even when he was trying to console his best friend. “I haven’t beaten you in a single round in over three weeks. Then suddenly I’m up six-zero. Either you’ve stopped taking whatever drugs gave you superpowers in the first place, and are now returning to the realm of mere mortals, or you’re distracted. I’d love it if it was the first one, because that means I’d have an actual chance to beat you again, but I feel like it’s the second one.” He cracked a grin, trying to make this as painless as possible for Liam.

Liam looked up from his controller. He absently traced the triangles and circles that were raised on the little buttons, anything to distract him from having to talk. “It’s nothing.” He muttered finally.

“And by nothing you mean the big giant something that you can’t tell me yet.” Mason nodded as if he expected as much. This had been their routine lately. Girls, tests, practice, or anything else Liam felt perfectly comfortable getting Mason’s help with. He was his rock. But everything to do with Scott and werewolves? He couldn’t, he wouldn’t burden Mason with all that. He’d seen Scott’s friends. His family. They all knew. And they were always in danger. He could protect Mason better by keeping him in the dark. 

Liam meekly nodded, his head drooping.

“Got it.” Mason said, clearly trying to figure out how to help his friend while knowing absolutely nothing. He was growing frustrated. Liam understood how he felt, but he also knew he couldn’t tell him. “Well, here’s my advice.” He said finally. “Secrets are heavy. They weigh more than anything you can actually lift. But you need to find a way to keep those secrets from weighing you down. Personally? Find whatever makes you smile or laugh or feel good. The more secrets you need to hold, the more of that you need.” He let the words sink in, staying completely serious for once.

Liam listened. And he was surprised. Not because he hadn’t expected advice. He was surprised because Mason was so patient. All he year he’d been lying to him, running off without him, trying to explain cuts and bruises. He knew his stories didn’t add up. Mason knew he was lying to him. And he didn’t push. He never advised that he tell someone. He never tried to bring Liam’s walls down. He just stayed by and helped him however he could. Liam blinked once, his eyes watering, and moved suddenly to hug his friend. Mason stiffened at first, then relented and hugged him back. “Thanks.” Liam muttered with his face buried in Mason’s shoulder.

“Coach is right. Steroids.” Mason breathed out, and Liam realized how tightly he’d been clinging to him. He pulled off of his in a hurry. Liam did smile then, and laughed, too.

“Hey, there you are!” Mason said, picking up his controller. “Now please come kick my ass so I know I’ve got my friend back for a while.”

*****

“Liam!” the voice that called to Liam in the hallway the next morning wasn’t Scott. Liam realized he was disappointed about that as Stiles called him over, waving his hand. He trotted across the hallway to see what he wanted. “How ya doin?” He said cheerfully, clapping the boy on the shoulder.

Liam didn’t know exactly what to say. There were a million things he wanted to say to that question, but a lot of it Stiles could do nothing about, being only human. Only human Liam thought, chuckling to himself. A few months ago he had been human. He had already gotten used to thinking of himself as something else. “Somewhere between barely alive and on top of the world. Being a,” he lowered his voice, “a you-know-what, is very confusing.”

Stiles laughed at his attempts to be covert and subtle, although Liam doubt Stiles was ever more tactful than that himself. “Glad to hear you’re doing well.” He said, nodding, “Scott says you changed your mind about not being ‘one of us,’ and to be honest I’m glad.”

“Why?” The question leapt immediately before he could stop it.

“We’ve lost a lot of people, Liam. What we do, the whole, save-the-world routine, has a price. I didn’t want to lose another one. Especially since your, you know, his first.” Liam didn’t understand. Stiles gestured his hands rapidly, “You know, his first. His first?” Liam shook his head again. “His first…bite.” He said finally.

Liam blinked.

“I am?” Scott seemed like he had done all this before. He seemed like it was routine. “But Malia-“

“He didn’t bite her.” Stiles said. “She was born to it. Derek too.”

“It’s just, he’s really good at teaching me. I thought he’d done it before.” Liam fidgeted a little nervously. He had never even considered that he was the first werewolf Scott had made. He felt a little special for that fact. He shared something with Scott nobody else in the world did.

“He has.” Stiles said at last. “Done it before, I mean. He had to teach himself, of course. Well, that was mostly me. And then there was Derek’s pack. He kind of helped them all. And the twins, but they kind of helped themselves. And Kira! He definitely helped Kira.” Stiles seemed proud of himself for finding a successful training endeavor.

“Derek had a pack?” was the first question out of Liam’s mouth. He had met Derek, and the man wasn’t an Alpha. Only Alphas had packs, as he understood. So he was confused.

“Yea.” Said a familiar voice, bringing all the warmth it usually carried. Stiles’ voice was erratic and energetic. Scott’s was steady. “Boyd, Erica, and Isaac.” He said. “Three is an important number in building a pack. Derek had three Betas. Four, if you count Peter.”

“Which, for the record, I don’t. Peter is a slimy, slimy weasel.” Stiles chimed in.

“But I thought only Alphas had packs? Derek isn’t an Alpha.” Liam asked again.

Scott nodded at him. “Not anymore. I told you already an Alpha’s power can be taken. It can also be given. He gave it to his sister, burned it up in order to save her life.” Even Liam understood that kind of gift was rare. He would easily give up power for Scott, or Brett, or Mason. Any of them deserved it. He knew they did. Scott must’ve noticed the confused look on his face. “After practice you can ask all the questions you want. I promise.” He said, and he quickly grabbed his stuff out of his locker before he and Stiles turned and went off the opposite direction. For some reason, that promise felt like it was extra important. Liam was looking forward to time after practice.


	3. Fears

But first Liam had to survived practice.

Survive was probably the wrong word, but the locker room always felt, well, savage. Ever since he’d become a werewolf, he could absolutely smell the testosterone in the locker room. Teenagers were changing anywhere you looked, and the hair on the back of Liam’s neck stood up as he passed several of them. Most of the people in the locker room were larger than he was. It was a bit intimidating. The first day of practice Liam had tried to match it with sheer bravado, now he didn’t have to. Before the bite, he had been prey. Now he was an apex predator. The shift was sudden, so he still felt jittery when he first got ready, but his nerves calmed down quickly enough.

He spotted Scott and Stiles putting on uniforms and laughing. A tall, tanned boy was standing next to them, joining in. Liam trotted over and dropped his book sack on the ground. He grabbed the bottom herm of his shirt and wasted no time pulling it up and over his head as he greeted them. “What’s so funny?” He asked them all.

“Danny was just saying you were cute.” Stiles said, which brought about another small chorus of laughter.

“Really?” He said a bit incredulously. He assumed the tall guy was Danny, which also meant he was the only openly gay player on the team.

“Mhm.” Scott said, pulling his lacrosse shirt on himself.

“And nothing I’ve seen yet changes that.” He said with a smirk. Liam realized he was still not wearing a shirt, and his chest turned red with his face and he hurriedly grabbed his jersey. Scott and the other laughed again at his embarrassment. “Calm down, kid. It’s a compliment.”

“Or is it? I mean, Danny thinks everyone is cute.” Stiles said, and an inside joke passed between them briefly.

“Hey! I have very good taste in men!” Danny said, “And that offer wasn’t serious, Stiles!” He said, closing his locker and walking off, leaving the trio of boys alone.

“Offer?” Liam said, eyebrows raised.

“A while back there was a psycho sacrificing virgins.” Scott said, “Stiles hadn’t met Malia yet.” Liam connected the dots and stifled a laugh at Stiles’ expense. It was his turn to turn red.

“Gentlemen!” Finstock’s voice echoed in the boxy room. “If you’re done with your book club, we have a practice going on here! Let’s move!” His shouts cut off their laughter and a chorus of clanging lockers signaled their time to get to work.

Liam breathed deeply as he stepped outside into the fresh air. It was cold, goosebumps raising on his uncovered legs, but it didn’t matter. He could already feel his adrenaline beginning to surge. His body knew it was time to play just as much as he did. They divided into scrimmage teams, like always, and prepared to face off against one another. Liam watched as Scott grabbed his foot and arched his back, limbering up muscles he’d need to perform. Liam grabbed his own foot and copied his Alpha’s motions. He felt the stretch along his entire back, sending a second set of goosebumps racing.

A whistle sounded, and the game was on.

Liam hung back at first, watching the game progress. Scott was on his team, but Stiles on the other side with Danny. The rest of the boys he knew only vaguely. Kira was in the opposing goal. It would be tough to win. With a grunt a player went down, the ball spinning high and out of the clump of players. Liam smirked and raced forward to get the ball. He scooped it up easily in his stick, beginning to run down the field. He felt his chest expanding as he took deep breaths, his entire body heating as he drew upon his werewolf strength and speed. He ducked to the right to avoid the shoulder of one of the other players, continuing his run to the goal. He shouldered a second, larger boy out of the way. He fell to the ground with a large thump, clearly surprised that this tiny boy had just planted him on his butt.

All that was left were the defenders in front of the goal, and Kira of course.

Liam charged forward, putting on an extra burst of speed. The defenders tightened, and took a step forward.

Suddenly he wasn’t on the lacrosse field. Solid stone was under his feet. It was cold. Ahead of him were two Berserkers, boned masks covering faces that used to be human. Liam’s breathing was no longer regular. It came in ragged gasps. “No.” He breathed, “No no!” He was still holding his lacrosse stick, and his eyes flared golden as the Berserkers advanced. He yelled, something strangled between a cry for help and roar of challenge, and then he charged at the Berserkers. He slammed the stick into the side of one of the Berserkers so hard that the stick exploded into splinters in his hand. The Berserker roared, and grabbed at him. Liam grabbed back, flipping the large creature over his shoulder and slamming it into the ground. He didn’t even notice that the second berserker was stepping back slowly, silently.

Suddenly strong hands grabbed his own. “Liam! Stop it!” A voice screeched. A whistle blasted frantically.

He was back on the lacrosse field. There weren’t any berserkers, just a sophomore on the lacrosse team huddling on the ground in pain. Scott and Kira each held one of his arms and were dragging him backwards, concerned looks on their faces. Liam gasped for breath. His hands were shaking. He dropped his splintered lacrosse stick, his own eyes wide.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” He babbled, repeating the words quietly. Scott and Kira let his hands go. He looked sullenly at Scott, whose face was nothing but concern for the boy. “I didn’t mean to…” He said, before turning and running back towards the school.

Finstock’s voice continued to yell at him as he ran. “Dunbar! You get back here! Stilinski! Get the nurse!”

Liam didn’t stop running until he was inside the locker room, dim lights overhead casting an orange glow over the empty room. He fumbled at shower knobs and let the water blast downward, washing over him. It was ice cold, but didn’t care, and didn’t wait for it to warm up. It drenched him from head to toe, and Liam blinked a few times, clearing his head. His breath still came in ragged gasps. “I’m at school.” He repeated to himself. “I’m at school. There are no Berserkers.” He slammed a hand against the tiled wall, angry at himself. He thought he was over this! He had faced the Berserkers in Mexico. He had beaten them. Why did they still haunt him?

“Berserkers? Liam there are no Berserkers.” Scott’s voice cut through his thought like a knife, pulling him back to reality. Liam had still been repeating his litany to himself even now. Scott walked into the shower room, standing behind Liam and placing two solid hands on his Beta’s shoulders. The water splashed onto his Alpha, but if it bothered him he didn’t show it.

“I still see them.” Liam confessed. He didn’t dare turn to face Scott. “We beat them, and I still see them.” His breathing was slowly returning to normal, but his chest still jerked and heaved, like he wanted to sob. He did want to sob. “Why?”

Scott didn’t speak. He just turned Liam around, hands steady. He pulled the soaking wet Beta into himself, pulled him hard against his chest. “It’s okay Liam.” The way he spoke his name, Liam felt the bands across his chest loosen. Scott wouldn’t let anything happen to him. “It’s okay.” He repeated, running a hand over Liam’s wet hair. It was no longer spiked up, but plastered flat to his forehead. He rubbed the younger boy’s back with his other hand, a slow, rhythmic motion that reminded Liam of a parent’s soothing. Then he pulled Liam’s face up to look at him. “When I was a Beta, I kept having dreams. I kept tearing my friends’ throats out.” He spoke slowly. “Someone died, a bus driver. I thought I’d done it, and the dreams got worse. Even when we knew for certain I hadn’t done it, I still had those dreams. I’d wake up screaming and sweating. My mom pretended like she never noticed.”

Liam’s breath finally slowed back to normal. The water still pounded against his back. “How’d you make them stop?”

“Allison.” Scott said the name gingerly. Like it hurt. “I thought about Allison when I had a nightmare. I would calm down. Soon I was thinking about her all the time.” He said, a small smile in his eyes. “I stopped having the nightmares. Those ones, at least.”

Liam nodded slowly, like he understood. Then he spoke. “Can I still ask any question I want?” Scott paused for a moment, then nodded. “Who was she?”

“My first love.” He said, “She died.” He answered the second question immediately. And Liam remembered Scott’s words to him before they decided to go to Mexico, Not all of us have made it. He knew what he meant now. “Come on. Let’s get you out of here.” Scott shut off the water and steered Liam by his shoulders toward the door.

“What about practice?” Liam asked hesitantly. They had both kind of run off.

Scott shook his head, “Stiles can handle it.”


	4. Questions

Scott’s room was ever the same as always. Clothes were on the ground, and the bed looked like it hadn’t been made in years. The covers were a tangled knot from where he had thrown them off this morning. Books were stacked haphazardly on his desk, a computer was humming in a dormant mode. It was very normal. For such a remarkable individual, the True Alpha with infinite patience, the room seemed almost not enough. It just made him more mythical. More unbelievable.

“I’m gonna take a shower. You need one?” He asked after he closed the door, already pulling his jersey over his head.

Liam shook his head, but Scott’s back was turned to him. “Uh, no thanks. I wasn’t at practice long enough to need one yet.”

A towel sailed through the air and hit him in the chest. “Then dry off with that. And get out of the those wet clothes. You can wear something of mine. Stuff on the floor is dirty, fair warning.” And then Scott disappeared into the bathroom attached to his room. The sound of a showerhead started up a few moments later.

Liam pressed the towel to his face, ran it over his hair. It smelled of Scott too. That same warm, embracing smell he had picked out in the woods. Now that he thought about it, the whole room smelled of Scott, as it should. Only as he dried his hair did he realize how wet the rest of him was. He had to peel the shirt off of his torso, managing to finally shrug out of it. He looked for a place to put the wet thing without getting anything wet. He didn’t see a good spot, so he set the towel on the floor, tossing the wet shit on top of it. His lacrosse shorts were entirely the opposite. Heavy with water, he barely had to nudge them over his hips before they dropped to the ground. He grabbed at the waistband to his boxer briefs, but kept them on. He wouldn’t wear Scott’s underwear. That was weird. He’d just have to settle for them being wet.

He did feel better once the wet clothes were discarded though. Already the air was getting warm and wet from the shower just beyond the door, steam bunching up near the bottom of the door. He stood almost naked in the middle of November, and didn’t even feel cold. Still, self-consciousness slowly took over, and he sought something to wear. Scott’s shirts all seemed too big for him, sure to hang from his slimmer shoulders. He found a pair of black basketball shorts he was able to pull the drawstring on to make fit, and kept searching for a shirt to wear. He dug through the bottoms of Scott’s drawers, hoping to find something older from before Scott filled out.

As he did, he noticed that there was another scent, one that didn’t belong to Scott. He felt like he was prying, but he couldn’t help it. He pulled out a black t-shirt. It had a band logo on it and seemed pretty regular. He smelled, deeply like Scott had taught him. He smelled the scent of another male, definitely. It seemed familiar, but it was old. It was diluted by a lot of laundry detergent too, washed a few times since that scent had gotten in it. It smelled like ice-water and fresh wood. It was a strange mix, but Liam filed it away. He put the shirt back, feeling like he shouldn’t have messed with it at all.

He noticed the shower had stopped.

Scott stepped out wrapped in a towel, still dripping a little. The warm air escaped the bathroom in a rush, steam filling the small space for a moment. It hung and then dissipated into the vents and under the door. Scott rubbed at his hair, drying it with a small hand-towel. He noticed the wet clothes on the ground. “We can put those in the dryer before you leave.” He said, plopping down onto his bed still wrapped in the towel. He was seemingly in no hurry to dry off or get dressed. It was a habit Liam had as well. He smiled at the sameness. “Well? Come sit down.” He said, slapping the bed next to him. 

Liam sat near the edge of the bed, incredibly conscious of the state of undress they were both in. Scott didn’t seem to care. Unconsciously, Liam rubbed at his hand, the one Scott had bitten. The wound had healed long ago, and it didn’t hurt at all, few injuries ever did now. It was just a habit.

Scott sat up, letting Liam keep his distance. “You have questions. I haven’t had time to answer them all, Kate and the Deadpool and all. So ask them. I’ll answer.”

Liam racked his head for questions. He had been full of them this morning, and now he couldn’t think of any of them. “I can’t think of any.” He said sheepishly.

Scott just smiled. “Okay. That’s fine. Let’s start with the basics. I’m an Alpha. You’re a Beta. My Beta. Do you understand what that means for us?”

Liam kind of understood. “We’re pack. We protect each other. We’re stronger together. That’s what Peter said.”

“Peter.” Scott said, with a bit of an exhale. “Yes. But do you know why we’re stronger together?”

“Strength in numbers. Wolves hunt in packs. That’s why you keep Kira and Stiles close to you right?”

“More than that. For Kira or Stiles, even Malia, it’s because they are my friends and we watch each others’ backs. But you and I, our bond is different. When werewolves are in a pack, they are literally stronger. Faster, more agile. We heal quicker. We lend each other strength, become one. You make me stronger.” Scott said the words very deliberately. Liam wouldn’t forget them.

“You make me stronger?” He asked, but he didn’t need to ask it. He knew it was true. When Scott was gone, kidnaped by Kate, Liam felt like a small part of him was gone. He couldn’t describe it, but he had to get it back. He had to. When Scott was near, Liam felt more secure. Imaginary Berserkers didn’t come when Scott was around. He pulled himself onto the bed, facing Scott and sitting cross-legged. “What about Derek?”

“Derek isn’t in our pack. He’s our ally, but technically Derek is an Omega. A lone wolf.”

“Could he become part of our pack?” Liam liked the idea of a pack keeping each other safe.

“Yes. Any beta can join a pack if the Alpha lets him. Satomi, you remember her? She took in orphaned werewolves like that.” Scott almost laughed, “Although I don’t really know how to do it. I’m still new at this.”

“Me too.” Liam said, laughing a little.

“How long have you been seeing them?” Scott said, interrupting their happiness. Liam didn’t need him to clarify.

“Since we first fought them. They terrified me.” Liam didn’t need to lie to Scott. It still wasn’t easy to say. “I slept with the lights on for weeks.”

Scott nodded, scooting just a little closer. “You know I won’t let them hurt you, right?”

“You almost were one of them, Scott.”

The words seemed to hurt the boy a little. “Yea. And I have nightmares about what I could’ve done to you.”

“To me?” The tenderness was sudden.

“Liam, I’ve, I’ve never bitten someone before.” Scott said, the conversation shifting. “I worry about Stiles and Kira and Malia. I do.” He placed a hand on Liam’s knee, now very close to him. “But I’m terrified of losing you. You are always going to be a part of me. Like my first love.” He looked down, the only time Liam had ever seen Scott hide his eyes from him. “You have no idea how I felt when you seemed afraid of me.”

Liam had no words. He had assumed Scott cared for him. But never that he outranked his best friend, or his girlfriend, people he’d known a lot longer. But then, Liam knew that his words were true. Liam had felt himself drawn towards Scott, stronger and stronger since the bite. Their bond was tangible. “I could never be afraid of you.” He returned Scott’s gesture, placing a hand on the towel covering Scott’s thigh. It was incredibly warm. Liam hadn’t even noticed that Scott had dried off, his body heat doing all the work.

Scott looked up at him, eyes alight. Suddenly Liam was crushed against Scott’s chest again, their bare skin radiating heat back and forth. Liam let himself melt against Scott, basking in the boy’s pure scent. He wrapped his arms tight around Scott’s lower back. “They don’t show up when you’re around.” He mumbled against Scott’s chest. He could hear his heartbeat, calm and steady.

“Then I won’t leave.” Scott said, laying back onto the bed, pulling Liam with him. They didn’t move for a long time. They just lay there, Scott’s arms firmly holding onto the small of Liam’s back, their heartbeats echoing in his ears. Liam’s had sped up a bit. Slowly, warmth filling him, he drifted off to sleep, draped around Scott.


	5. Hookey

The first thing Liam noticed was the lack of warmth. He shivered as he slowly pried his eyes open. Next he noticed that he was alone in the bed. Scott’s bed. He smiled when he remembered the closeness he had felt. He looked around, but the boy was nowhere to be found. The towel that had been around his waist was discarded on the ground by the bed. Liam’s wet clothes were gone, but the rest of the room was still as dirty as before.

Liam stood and stretched, working kinks out of his body. He looked around the room for clothing, remembering he was naked from the waist up. Unlike before, Liam’s eyes darted along the floor this time. He wanted something steeped in Scott’s scent to wear, not detergent. He smiled and lifted up the striped gray and black hoodie Scott had worn during their training in the woods. He slipped it on, leaving it unzipped, and started out of Scott’s room, looking around for the other boy.

“Liam?” Melissa’s voice was surprised, but not unwelcoming. She had grown far too used to Scott housing the members of his small group in her house, and no doubt she recognized her son’s clothes on some other boy. That wasn’t very unusual too.

“Hi Mrs. McCall.” Liam said sheepishly. He didn’t know what else to say. He hastily did the bottom of the jacket and pulled the zipper about halfway up. It felt weird to leave it open in front of someone’s mom.

She gave Liam a skeptical look, “Do I want to know?” She asked simply.

“It’s nothing really. I uh, got soaked at practice. Scott offered to dry my stuff before he took me home.” He pulled at Scott’s clothes as if to finish the story: he’d been given something to wear until they were done.

“No wonder. I thought he’d finally started doing his laundry.” Liam laughed at that a little. He was familiar with the cluttered floor in the room behind him. She walked down the stairs, purse thrown over her shoulder. Scott had said she was pulling double shifts at the hospital. Seemed she was still doing so. Liam looked around, looking for a clock to mark the time.

He heard Scott’s voice then, talking with his mother. The usual. He promised to be good. He wouldn’t get in trouble. No parties. Liam welcomed the normality of that conversation. Then his mother was gone, and Liam knew where Scott was.

He came bounding down the stairs, a smile plastered over his face as he whipped around the banister. He trotted into the kitchen, where Scott was making a pair of sandwiches. He smiled too, seeing his Beta in good spirits. “I was just fixing us something to eat.” He said, lifting the plate with the half-finished sandwich as evidence. “Your stuff is in the dryer.” He added as an afterthought. “But you look pretty comfortable as you are.” He gestured at the jacket. Liam didn’t blush this time.

“I was cold.” He defended himself, shoving his hands into the pockets of the hoodie.

“Uh-huh.” Scott said, teasing the kid. He opened the fridge, “Want a drink?” He asked. Liam nodded and he tossed a soda to the kid. Liam caught it in deft fingers. There was never a hint that he would drop it. Being a werewolf had more than a few perks.

Scott grabbed the plates, handing one to Liam and nodding his head. Liam followed him into the living room, where they threw themselves down to watch TV. Scott sprawled with a leg tossed over the couch leg. Liam sat a little awkwardly on the opposite side of the couch. Scott looked at him nearly upside-down. “Relax. Make yourself at home.” He insisted, taking a large bite of his sandwich and flipped through channels.

Liam took a sip of his soda, leaning back in the couch, trying to relax. He had no reason to be tense, but he just felt out of place. “Scott, I need to ask something else.” He said suddenly.

The teenager turned his head, still upside-down. “Yea?”

“Should I tell Mason?” He had turned the idea over and over in his head. He wanted to, and Mason had sensed something was wrong. Scott had made that decision before, to bring someone into this life. He’d know what to do. “I want to. But I want him to be safe. None of us ever are. He doesn’t deserve this.” He knew that if Mason knew he was in danger, he would want to help, and that might get him hurt. Seriously hurt.

Scott realized that the conversation was a little more serious than he had thought, so he sat up straight and set down his sandwich. “No.” his answer was so resolute.

“But you’ve brought people in!” Liam said, wondering if another dead body was hidden behind that no.

“Only when I had to. My mom saw me, and she thought I was a monster. I had to make her understand. Stiles’ dad had to know because he was going to get people killed. I know what you’re going through. His looks hurt. He thinks you’re pulling away from him. Yet he wants to be there.” Scott was describing Mason to a fault, and Liam realized that he was also describing what his mother had gone through. Liam felt bad that his own thoughts had never been to his mother or his step-father.

“Yea.” Liam hated the decision, but he knew that it had been the answer he was going to get.

“Liam?” Scott said, the boy’s name escaping through his lips. He looked at him. “You can still back out.” His eyes were full of nervousness that Liam would accept the out, leave him. A week ago Liam would’ve done it. Now he knew what he meant to Scott, and worse, what Scott meant to him. He shook his head no. Scott smiled. He gestured for the Beta to come closer, and draped his arms over Liam as they lay on the couch, doing something as mundane as watching TV together.

*****

“You smell like Scott.” Malia said the next morning. She had always been blunt. Liam hadn’t realized that he still smelled like Scott, but he hadn’t showered that night after he left Scott’s so he wasn’t surprised he still carried the other boys scent.

“I hung out with him yesterday.” was all he said.

Malia nodded. “After you freaked out and beat up that kid right?”

Liam grew stiff. “Yea.” He said uncomfortably. Malia must’ve sensed his change in demeanor, because she stopped talking. They stood awkwardly until Stiles appeared a few moments later.

“Whoa. Who died here?” He asked with a grin. Neither of them wanted to respond. Liam broached the subject with Stiles, since it was on his mind anyway.

“What happened at practice?” He said tentatively.

Stiles grew a little angry, like he had forgotten to be made about it. “Well coach yelled. For a long time. And we ran. A lot. He was kind of pissed his two star players left in the middle of practice. To be honest, so was I. After the running part.” He must’ve caught Liam’s eye and saw something in it, because then he added. “You broke two of his ribs and gave him a nasty bruise. He’ll be okay.”

Liam breathed a little easier knowing his outburst hadn’t seriously hurt anyone. But broken ribs meant he was likely out for the season. He felt remorse creep into his head again, like it always did when he hurt someone or broke something. He tried to think of something more positive, and came up short. He turned and walked off from the pair, seeking something to help him calm down. There weren’t any cold showers handy, nor did he want to be wet and cold all day.

Instead he walked out of the school building. He tried to take in the fresh air, hoping to clear his head. It didn’t work. He tried to breathe deeply, doing what his counselor had told him, counting down slowly from ten. As he did, all he could do was replay the afternoon. His freak out, running away from the field. And Scott. He relived his scent, which came to mind easily. He remembered laying on the couch, without the older boy judging him for what he had done. He felt his breathing slow and his mind clear. He opened his eyes and saw Mason walking up to the building.

“Hey Liam!” He split into a wide grin, hugging his friend. “I texted you last night. You didn’t get back to me. Don’t tell me you have another gay best friend to hang out with.”

Liam smiled, “No. I just wanted to be alone.” He sighed, figuring he’d tell him before he heard from it someone else. “I had an episode at practice. I needed to think.” Even though it was werewolf enhanced, Liam felt good being able to tell Mason something. His best friend was familiar with Liam’s condition, so he was perfectly equipped to handle the situation at hand. He felt Mason’s relief too, at being useful.

“At least some things will always be the same. Usual remedy?” He asked.

“Ice Cream and Hookey?” Liam answered. “You bet.”

The two turned and slinked off towards the end of the schoolgrounds, trying not to be seen as they snuck off to blow off school and play video games. It had been a solid routine. Every time Liam had an episode, he and Mason had taken the day off and just decompressed. Mason usually made Liam feel better.


	6. Barrow

Halfway through their pint of ice cream, and after Mason had lost for about the seventh time, Liam’s phone went off. At first he ignored it. Time with Mason had been rare lately, and the last thing he needed was coach or a teacher calling to figure out where he was. So he ignored it.

But it didn’t ignore him.

The buzzing kept going. Liam sighed, casting an apologetic look at Mason before pulling the phone out of his pocket. A number Liam did not recognize flashed on it. Knowing they wouldn’t go away, Liam answered, expecting a telemarketer, or some pre-recorded message. “Hello?”

 _“…Liam? OH, Liam! Guys I got him! Liam are you okay?”_ The voice came over frantically, and Liam recognized Kira’s slight accents. The Asian drawl of her words was exaggerated, which meant she was anxious or angry.

“I’m fine.” He answered. Mason gave him a questioning look, and Liam just shrugged. “Why?”

 _“Barrow’s been spotted in town. Mr.Stilinski just gave us all the heads-up. Then you weren’t at school and…”_ Kira paused for a moment, and Liam heard voices behind her, not on the phone. He could guess who would be around her if she were calling him to talk about this kind of stuff. Liam had no idea who Barrow was, but only danger would’ve gotten that kind of reaction. _“Where are you?”_ Kira said suddenly, back on the phone.

“I’m in my room. Mason and I skipped school.”

A brief pause, and Liam heard Kira relaying the words he’d just said to someone. Mason grew restless, shaking his controller, threatening to un-pause their game. Liam waved him down firmly. _“Scott says to stay put, and not let anyone in the house. We’re coming get you.”_ She hung up shortly afterwards.

Liam pulled the phone from his ear, and the next few moments played out in his head. “Who was that?” Mason asked, expecting answers.

“Kira.” He answered. “The Asian girl on the lacrosse team.” Mason nodded, remembering her now. Liam was glad he had introduced her as a lacrosse player. It would make leaving with her seem more like work instead of what it really was. Which wasn’t work but demanded as much time as any job would. And was more dangerous.

“Well?” Mason said, waving his hand for the explanation.

Liam blanched a little bit trying to come up with a good lie. “She’s coming pick me up. Like right now. Mason! Stop it!” Liam hurriedly backpedaled, trying to calm down his best friend, who had just righteously gotten angry.

Mason snatched his hoodie from Liam’s bed. “Yea, just ditch your best friend. I mean why not? You hang out with juniors now.”

“Mason you know it’s not like that!”

“Then what is it like? And don’t give me one more shitty excuse about lacrosse training, or student committees. You’re a terrible liar, Liam.” Liam knew this would happen. He knew Mason deserved an explanation. But Scott’s answer had been firm. He’d have to handle this.

“It’s, well. It’s…like coming out of the closet.” Liam said, suddenly very proud of himself.

Mason looked skeptical. “You’re gay with a smoking hot junior Asian lacrosse player? Spare me the agony.”

“No, I mean, it’s like that, but it’s not that.” He wasn’t doing as good now. “But you know, you have something, and you want to tell everyone, but you don’t know how they’ll react. You’re deathly afraid of how they’ll react. Then there are the people who found out, or already knew.”

“And that’s where Kira comes in?” Mason said with a raised eyebrow.

“Yea. And Scott, and Stiles. The guys from the lacrosse team kinda know.” Liam said, a small lie covered by truth. But it made it more believable. “And one day, I promise I’m gonna tell you, and you’re gonna understand. But I just need you to trust me for right now.” Liam’s face was solid concern. “Please. I need you. Don’t go.”

Mason had every right to walk out. He had every reason to be angry. Instead he deflated, sitting back down on the bed. “You know I won’t make you tell me. It’s totally your choice. But I can only get blown off so many times. I need my best friend too, and as long as whatever this is keeps going on, I feel like I don’t have you. So come out of the closet soon, okay?”

Liam sighed, tension leaving him as he realized he hadn’t lost Mason. Yet. “Thank you. I will. I promise.”

Liam felt his pocket vibrate, and stuck his head out of the window without looking at it. He saw Stiles’ jeep idling against the curb, Malia leaning out and waving at him. “Come on!” For the second time, Liam wondered how dangerous this man was if he could summon the entire…what was he supposed to call them? A pack? No, that was dumb. He and Scott were a pack. These were...a gang? A crew? Whatever. He riled up everybody. He looked back at Liam and smiled weakly.

“That’s my ride. Feel free to finish the ice cream, play games. I don’t care. If my mom asks, just tell her what happened. She’ll believe the accident part and probably won’t ask much more.” Mason nodded. “And Mason? Thanks.” Then he grabbed his book sack and threw open his door, running down the stairs.

*****

Stiles and Malia sat in the front of the jeep, and Liam found himself alone in the back seat. He felt a little sad at knowing Scott didn’t come get him himself. Kira wasn’t even there. Malia seemed to read his mind, which was ten kinds of creepy, when she said, “Scott and Kira went to get Lydia. If Barrow is going to make trouble, she’ll know it.” Maybe she hadn’t read his mind. Maybe it was just natural to wonder where their leader was and to update him. Liam’s desire to have Scott nearby was much more personal, than that.

“So, who is Barrow?” Liam asked.

“I asked the same question.” Malia said, looking to Stiles.

“Geez. Okay. Barrow is a crazy serial killer. He likes bombs, shaped like presents.” Well it was starting so cheerfully. “He was locked up in Eichen House until last year. He escaped, made a bunch of stuff blow up, and tried to kill Kira. Then he got away and we hadn’t heard from him since. He’s got a thing for teenagers with glowing eyes.”

Liam felt the last sentence like a punch in the gut. “He knows about werewolves?” It suddenly made way more sense why Scott wanted him in safe hands. If Barrow had somehow learned he had glowing eyes, then he could’ve been a potential victim. 

“No, not exactly. He’s aware that not everyone is human. He tends to think of you as devilspawn or demons. He thinks he’s doing the world a favor. Eichen House. Crazy, remember?” It seemed so. Learning about the supernatural could break a normal person. Liam thought about Mason, what he’d promised to tell him. He swallowed pointedly.

“So what’s the plan?” He said eagerly. He wanted to put this away for good. This seemed easy after La Iglesia.

“Lydia. Lydia is the plan.” Stiles as they drove. Liam noticed that the houses were getting nicer. They were gathering at Lydia’s house, clearly. “We only know that Barrow is around. We need Lydia to find him, preferably before he attacks someone.”

Malia sniffed in derision at Stiles’ words. “Sometimes I think we need a plan other than Lydia. What did you do before she was a banshee?” Liam hadn’t known Lydia had ever not been a banshee.

“I prayed. Very hard.” Stiles said, with only a little bit of sarcasm. The jeep continued on, passing a few large houses in near silence before pulling into Lydia Martin’s driveway.

The house was big enough to suggest money. Stiles took them around back, through a small backyard and a little flower arch. He moved to a back door where he knocked quickly, and Kira came to the window, letting them all inside. Scott immediately homed in on Liam, smiling. He blitzed past the other teenagers, grabbed the smaller boy and lifted him into a small hug. “I’m glad you’re okay.” He said quickly, letting Liam down. “You didn’t answer your phone.”

Liam didn’t have to look at his phone to know that the first buzzing had been Scott, who called him as soon as he knew he was missing. Who had taken time to make sure he was safe. He felt guilty for not answering immediately. He had chosen Mason, for a short while, and made Scott worry. “Sorry. Mason was there, and I just…”

Scott nodded. “It’s okay. You’re safe. That’s all that matters.”

He turned to go back to what he had been doing before Liam had arrived, but Liam just stood stunned in the doorway. His safety was all that mattered? Kira rested a hand on his shoulder. “I know. It shocked me the first time too.” He looked up at her, but she was all eyes for Scott. “He just cares so deeply. For all of us.”

Had Liam read more into his actions? Had Scott simply been making sure the last member of his pack was safe? Or was he more? Liam remembered Scott’s words. They had a bond none of the others did. Liam decided it was more than that. But Kira was right. Scott cared so deeply it was astounding.

It was then he realized what was happening. Scott was intently watching Lydia, who was sitting next to her TV. The cable wasn’t plugged in, so it was just a blue screen with the company logo on it. She was listening there, intently, and Scott wanted to know the answer.

They waited for what seemed like forever, tension mounting in the room.

Eventually she pulled away, sitting down on the thick carpet. “Nothing. I can’t hear anything. If Barrow is planning anything it might not be murder.”

“What else would he want?” Scott’s confusion echoed everyone’s.

“Why didn’t Barrow come out for the deadpool?” Liam asked curiously. All eyes turned to him. His face grew hot. “I’m just saying. That list went to everyone. I mean everyone. Barrow would’ve seen Kira’s name on it. He probably could’ve put together the fact that it would lead him to more ‘devils’ or whatever he calls us. And he’d be paid for it. Why didn’t he show up for the deadpool?”

More stares.

Lydia spoke first. “Did you know you just might be a genius Liam? I’ll have to keep an eye out for you.” She started pacing. “Last time we saw Barrow he was being controlled.”

“The Nogitsune.” Stiles chimed in, a little darkly.

“Yes, thank you Stiles, as if we’d all forgotten the Nogitsune.” Lydia’s tongue was as quick to cut as to compliment. “But what if he is being controlled again? They could’ve ordered him to stay out of the deadpool business. Wait until the supernatural community had grown weak. Then send him to strike. But to what end? And what would he strike without killing anybody?” She seemed frustrated.

Fortunately, Scott’s phone ringing gave them all an excuse to stop theorizing. “Hello?” He answered. Even form where he was, Liam could hear coach’s very loud voice.

/i>“I’ve just accepted that you’ll continue to skip practice, McCall.Nothing gets through to you. I’ve accepted that you’ll take Stilinski, and good riddance to him. I even understand that you’ve taken Liam under you wing, so I imagine I’ll never see him at another practice again. But I will NOT let you have Danny. Tell him to get his big butt back to practice ASAP or I’ll make him hurt in ways he doesn’t find sexual!” The phone clicked just after that. Usually, Liam found coach’s outbursts funny. But he saw Lydia, Scott, and Malia all tense.

“What? What just happened?” Stiles asked, confused. “Mortal here, no superpowered hearing. I can’t eavesdrop on phone calls.”

“Barrow has Danny.” Lydia said, face covered in confusion. Liam could almost see the gears turning in her head.

“Aw man! I liked Danny!” Stiles whined.

“Stiles, go get Derek. I’ll let you know where to meet us.” Scott commanded, and Stiles looked sheepish.

“Why me?” He asked.

“Because you’re the only one who’s talked to Derek since we got back from Mexico. Now go!” Scott waited until Stiles turned to leave, followed by Malia. Kira and Scott spared a quick glance that might as well have been a conversation, and then she ducked out after them.

Liam’s turn to ask questions. “Where do we go?” He asked. He didn’t intend to get separated from his alpha.

“We go to school. We’ll pick up Danny’s scent and hope to find out where Barrow took him.” Scott said. There wasn’t a question of whether Liam was coming. They both knew that answer. “Lydia, stay here. Call me if you learn anything.” If anyone was going to die, Liam thought grimly.

Moments later, Liam was swinging his leg over the back of Scott’s bike. He had done this before when Scott had driven him places. He set the red helmet over his face and linked both hands around Scott’s waist. They were both very close. He could smell Scott, mixed with the leather of his bike and his jacket. He could feel the warmth, and Scott’s racing heart. His alpha was nervous. Yet he seemed so calm. Liam envied his self-control.

The bike roared before zipping off down the street. Wind whistled around them, making conversation next to impossible. That was all fine with Liam, who just gripped tighter and let the bike swerve and turn as they pulled through the city.

Finally they ended up in the school’s parking lot. Scott wasted no time in running into the school building. It was still early enough that clubs and teams would be meeting. This meant no supernatural breaking and ending. So they wouldn’t be criminals today, just monsters hunting a serial killer.

Danny’s locker was just like every locker in the school. Its paint was chipped and peeling, and its paling color looked pathetic. This time Scott did use his werewolf gifts. He put his ear to the small lock on the thing, turning tumblers until Liam heard it clip open. Scott nearly wrenched the door off opening it in haste, and he pulled a jacket out. It was a bright green thing with white stripes down the side. Liam had seen Danny wearing it before. It would be rich with his scent for sure. Scott sniffed it twice before handing it to Liam. “There are two scents on it. Find the one that smells like Cinnamon and Pineapples.”

Liam took the jacket, wondering who else had worn it. He sniffed it deeply, and could tell the two scents apart immediately. One was definitely stronger, more recent. Pineapples and Cinnamon for sure. Liam thought he caught a hint of salt in that smell too, like the ocean. Then he sensed the next scent. It was dark and dangerous, like a predator. It smelled like a damp, dark night where the moon wasn’t visible and sounds were muffled. There were hints of other things, like flowers and maybe some kind of animal, but they were lost in that dark scent. He spared a look at Scott, who knew he’d smell that. “Whose?” He asked. Who was so dangerous, yet so close to Danny to wear his clothes?

“It’s Danny’s story to tell.” Was all Scott said. Liam nodded, realizing how his gift for smells viciously violated personal privacy. He could tell in an instant if someone had been cheating, or if they stole something from someone else. He filed it away, careful not to use his gifts for the wrong reasons. “You got it?” He asked quickly. Liam nodded. Scott returned the jacket to the locker, closed and locked. Then they were back outside.

Scott sniffed deeply, trying to pick Danny’s scent out among the rest of the world. Liam was slightly in awe. He could identify and remember scents, surely, but to find just one scent among all the others, when the person was long gone? “How do you even begin to do that?” He asked.

Scott smiled. “Practice. I’ll teach you too, in time. But now’s a good chance to try it. Keep smelling it for it, and if we follow it far enough you’ll start to smell it too. Rain and water in general make it harder, remember that. Mud hides a scent, and some people and werewolves can mask their scent, so its not perfect. But it works better than just hoping to find them.” Something in how he was speaking made Liam believe that when he was a new werewolf he had done exactly that, and he was grateful to be able to find Danny faster. Knowing who had him, Liam was glad too.

Scott returned to smelling, and eventually Liam saw him tense. He was pointed towards downtown Beacon Hills. He had locked on. “Got him.” He said, and moved to the bike. Liam’s hands slid back around Scott and they took off again. They moved slower this time, Scott moving with the scent, occasionally getting angry and looping back. Not perfect, he had said. As they drove, Liam finally began to pick up hints of a scent as they moved. It was weak, but it stood out from the world behind it. It had been here recently. Not perfect, but good nonetheless.

Eventually the streets grew narrower. The buildings looked more dilapidated. Factories and warehouses. Of course a serial killer would move here to house his victims. Scott slowed to almost a crawl, trying to differentiate which one Danny’s scent led to. Eventually he seemed to pick up on it, and pulled into the parking lot of a factory that looked like it was in the middle of production. Sounds clanked and echoed out of the factory. It seemed to be some kind of smelting factory from the heat they felt as they pulled behind the building. Going in the front door would’ve been pretty stupid.

Scott killed the engine at last, hiding the bike in a shadow of the building. “Wait here, I’m going to call Stiles.” He said before pulling his phone out and walking away from the building.

That was when Liam recognized the scent.

He thought he had been smelling Danny’s. He was expecting pineapples, cinnamon, and the ocean. That was why it had been so faint. Sure, that scent was here now, but something stronger caught Liam’s attention. Chocolate, cocoa butter, and mint. He had barely known he had memorized the scent until it clicked in his head. These smells belonged to his best friend.

Mason was here.

Liam didn’t even feel the guttural challenge that ripped itself out of his throat. He only heard it echo off the stones of the building. It was a mighty roar, that was for sure. His claws were out in a moment, his eyes blazing yellow. “Mason!” He growled, darting at the back door. He faintly heard Scott say something, but it was lost to him as his claws sheared the lock off the door and swung the rusted metal wide.

If the heat was perceptible from the exterior or the building, it was a furnace inside. The door Liam had ripped through shed light onto a ground floor taken up by several large vats of heated metal, their fumes making the air thick and a little disgusting smelling. In his enraged state, Liam had no eyes for that. He shouted Mason’s name again, hearing his growl echo across the building. He began to stalk the ground below, eyes seeing through dimness that would’ve blinded a regular person. He swung his head from side to side, scanning the floor on nothing but pure instinct. His wolf was in control.

“Well, you aren’t who I intended, but you’ll do.”

Liam whipped his head up, roaring challenge at the skinny, pale man who stood on a balcony above him. “Give him back!” He cried.

The man just laughed. It was hollow, a little empty. “I was advised not to capture the little one. But you left with them. So I knew that he was important. And so easy. He did fight though. Scrappy lad.” The man was scarred, his hair choppy and irregular. He indeed looked like he belonged in a mental institution.

Liam was so wrapped up in glaring the man down that he barely noticed the two strong arms that looped under his own, lifting him into the air and clamping down with a force that deserved the term super-human. He struggled to look past the tan, faintly yellowed tint of the arms, but couldn’t turn his head. He roared and thrashed, trying to rip free. His feet dug into the body behind him, trying to push off with his legs. For once his smaller body didn’t help him wiggle loose. He was stuck.

Then he heard Scott roar.

It dwarfed his own in magnitude and power. Glass shattered with his Alpha’s furious roar. He stepped into the room and peered about as if a little blinded. “Liam!” He yelled, unsure of where his beta was. It was the first time Liam had seen Scott off-kilter. As his rage quelled, he began to notice what a perfect trap this place was. The smelting metal was horrid to smell. Supernatural scent detection was out. It was why Liam hadn’t noticed the larger man. The machinery clamored with noise, masking sounds. And the tubs of metal were hot. It meant nothing to Liam, but Scott had hinted that an Alpha gained an infrared vision.

“Turn it off Scott!” Liam said, his yell drawing the Alpha’s gaze to his exact location. So Scott was still using his superior hearing despite the noise. “This place is a trap!”

Scott roared again, softer this time, and charged at the Werewolf who held Liam. In a fair fight, unless this man was also an Alpha, Scott had the upper hand. But both he and Scott had forgotten the slender man up above.

Liam was certain the man was mortal. Nobody had outright said it, but they would’ve warned him if the man was supernatural. Yet Liam saw as he vaulted over the railing, sailing through the air at Scott. Scott managed to slam into the man holding Liam, and the beta went skidding across the ground until he slammed against a smoldering metal tub. Agony roared within him as he contacted with the hot metal, but he pulled himself away, knowing his healing could handle a simple burn. He stayed on his hands and knees for a moment panting until he felt the itching sensation of his body healing itself. He looked up and saw the scene playing out before him.

Scott seemed to have shut off his enhanced vision, because he no longer looked blind as he fought off an assault from both sides. But without it he was relying on just the distracted hearing and his human senses. At least now Liam could see what was happening. The taller man was definitely Asian, and to Liam’s relief, a cold blue glared from his eyes. A Beta then. Much easier to handle. But he had size on Scott, and that could be a problem. The skinnier man, Barrow, if Liam had to guess, was stabbing and slicing at Scott with a slender bladed object. It took Liam a while to recognize it, but the weapon made his blood run cold.

Barrow held a Berserker’s blade.

Usually it was affixed on the boned hand of a Berserker, but it had been removed, placed in Barrow’s hand. This blade was carved with sigils and runes. It would no doubt be a weapon against the supernatural. The how and why didn’t seem to matter. Liam only cared that Scott and Mason were in danger.

“Liam don’t!” Scott yelled, the beta slicing into his arm, opening a small gash as he barely turned to avoid the blade, a rip in his shirts showing how close that cut had actually been.

“To hell if I won’t!” Liam cried, running forward at the Asian beta. He didn’t know who he was, but the man was just muscle. And no muscle was worse than fighting a berserker, which Liam had done admirably. Besides, if Barrow were in charge, then Scott would want to deal with him. Liam could fight another beta.

He leaped up into the air, better equipped to deal with the other werewolf now that he knew he was there. Claws extended, Liam tried to get in a good handhold on the man. Unfortunately, the Asian man was well-trained. He grabbed Liam firmly around his arm and midsection. Despite a few gashes he gained from Liam’s free hand, he expertly tossed the boy through the air. Liam went down with a crash not too far away. Pain exploded again, but Liam rose again.

He charged again, claws swiping and forcing the man a step back. He ducked an attack by the beta and returned with his own. The man stepped back again, dodging. Giving up ground was supposed to be bad in battle, right? Liam didn’t know. He just kept fighting. He gained a gash along his temple in exchange for four bright red trails over the man’s chest. He continued to push, but the blood from his temple began to run, stinging his eyes and making them water. Two gashes crisscrossed his stomach, breaking the skin and driving deeply.

The next smell that hit his nose was the sizzle of flesh. Not his own, but the man’s. He had back into one of the smoldering tanks. Liam saw his rear back for a moment, recovering from the shock, and the pain Liam had felt just moments ago. Liam looked at his own hand before curling it into a tight fist, clocking the werewolf one across the jaw which sent him toppling to the ground. He heaved for breath, realizing he had won. 

He smiled to himself, and turned to help Scott, who was still dodging slices from the blade. Scott was all defense, not attacking the man in front of him, and Liam could guess why. That blade had made his blood run cold. It must mean a hell of a lot more for Scott, who had held one like it. He deflected it with claws and tried to disarm it with no luck. This Barrow was a good fighter, almost too good.

“Go Liam!” Scott roared, angry that he had defied him the first time. “I’ve got this! Mason!” He said firmly. Liam knew he was right. He grimaced before turning his back on Scott, looking for a staircase to get upstairs. That was where Barrow had come from. That’s where he would be keeping their friends.

He found a service stair, running up it as fast as it would carry him. He began to rip through doors, kicking them in or splintering them whole-heartedly as he searched what appeared to be old offices. Finally he found them in what once was a break room. The outlines of soda machine and a rotten table made up the only furniture. Danny and Mason lay tied in separate corners. They were gagged and tied up as tight as could be. Liam kicked himself ever leaving Mason, but his face was solid relief at finding his best friend unharmed.

He raced over to him, pulling duct-tape from his mouth in a hurry. His claws had been retracted, but his eyes likely still glowed with supernatural sight, and Mason had heard those roars. “I’m so sorry Mason. I didn’t want you to. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” He rambled as he pulled at knots around Mason’s hands.

“Liam. Liam. Liam!” Mason said, grabbing his friends face once it was free. “It’s. Okay.” It was all he said. “Later, okay? Now help Danny.” He released his best friend’s face, untying his own feet. Liam felt like an idiot, tears beginning to run as he removed the tap from Danny’s mouth too.

The scream that echoed through the halls wasn’t human. It shrill, as high pitched as Liam had ever heard. It went on for at least twenty seconds. Twenty agonizing seconds. Blood-curdling wasn’t the correct word. It was worse. Liam’s blood didn’t curdle. It exploded and hurt him in ways he hadn’t thought were possible. This scream, despite its sound, its utter pain, was Scott’s. He knew it was. He looked once at Mason before running out of the room, afraid of what he would find in the next room.

Everything unfolded very fast from that point. Liam ran through the hallway until he was at the same railing he’d seen Barrow at. Scott was on the ground, curled in a fetal position. He still whimpered in pain. Barrow smiled, standing over with the blade turned to kill. Scott wasn’t even trying to stop him. He was holding his arm like it was all that mattered.

Barrow opened his mouth to make some ironic statement, and a gun barked from the doorway. It missed, sparking off a vat of hot metal. Still, Barrow whipped his head around and saw Derek standing in the doorway, Kira visible behind him with sword drawn. They also heard that screech. Barrow, seeing his odds low, turned and barked a name at the beta who was beginning to rise, coming to after Liam’s knockout. He saw what was happening, saw the odds shift, and he nodded. He turned and ran for another part of the building, probably the front door. Derek made to pursue.

“Stop!” Liam said, vaulting over the railing, landing next to Scott’s fetal body. “Can’t you see Scott’s hurt?” Derek eyed him for a moment, gun still in hand. Then he lowered it. Barrow could wait.

“Where is Danny?” He said instead. He didn’t like holding back, but Liam had spoken, and they had listened.

He pointed up to the landing. “Break room, near the back. Mason is there too.” Liam said, trying to mask his shame in that. He didn’t think he succeeded, but it was fine. His attention on Scott. “Scott. Hey Scott, look at me.”

The Alpha’s eyes, shut tight, opened slightly, watery with unshed tears. The red glow was gone now. Pain had forced him back out of his shifted form. They tried to convey everything without words, since Scott was still raggedly trying to breathe. “Scott, show me your arm.” Liam said calmly. By now Kira and Stiles had run over, trying to make heads or tails of what had happened.

Slowly, Scott unfolded his arm. A ragged gash ran along the inside of it. The sides of the gash were dark, like the arm was dying around it. Liam saw the wound starting to knit up, but the flesh did not regain its correct color. The Beta made a decision, reach down and encircling Scott’s forearm with his hand. He breathed deeply before tried to tug at the wound before him. He had only seen it done, so he wasn’t sure what he as doing. But he wanted Scott to stop suffering. He would take into himself, bear it instead. It must’ve started working because Scott’s eyes grew wide and he muttered “No!” Before the the absolute wave of pain spiked through Liam.

It wasn’t slow or gradual, like it had been described. Liam’s veins felt like they were shocked by lightning, turning jet black and pressing against his skin. His body arched with the sudden sensation, and he was only vaguely aware of his own scream before he was being dragged off of Scott. As soon as his hand broke its contact with the Scott, the pain vanished, but a dull throbbing everywhere reminded him of what had just happened.

“What? What was that?” Liam said, gasping for breath. His eyes were wide with fear. He moved forward towards Scott, a trembling hand lowering to do it again.

“Liam, are you insane!?” Stiles yelled to his side, grabbing the younger boy’s wrist. “You’re gonna do that again? Did you not hear yourself scream? Because we all did.”

Liam’s breath was returning, but his words were still between gulps of air. “Doesn’t matter. He screamed. Gotta…help him.” This was all Liam knew how to do.

Liam’s secondary scream had brought Derek and Malia, followed by the no-longer captives. “The hell is going on down there?” 

“I don’t know.” Kira said. She had taken Liam’s place by Scott’s side. She looked worried. His head was in her lap. “He has only one cut. Just one. It’s already turning into a scar. I’ve never seen this before.” She said, looking defeated. “He has a fever.”

“Wolfsbane?” Derek suggested. “We need to get him to Deaton.”

Nobody seemed to argue. They gathered Scott up and set him in Stiles’ jeep. He seemed to be coming back to himself, but his eyes were still glazed with pain, and Kira was right. Scott was hotter than usual. Liam hadn’t noticed until now. Why hadn’t he noticed until now? 

Liam climbed onto the back of Scott’s bike, and Derek climbed onto the front. It made sense, if Scott was taking his seat in the Jeep, but Liam felt weird with somebody else on Scott’s bike. He’d have rather driven it himself, except he didn’t know how. So he clasped his hands around Derek’s waist, and they took off. The Jeep would be crowded as is by adding Mason and Danny, so their bike would get to Deaton’s that much quicker and prepare him for what was to come.


	7. Sleeping Beauty

“And you felt the same when you tried to siphon pain?” Deaton’s voice was firm as he cleared his table off, ready for Scott’s arrival.

“It’s either immune to the pain siphon or is just an absolutely enormous amount of pain. All Liam did was touch him.” Derek spoke up. He seemed to know more about most werewolf-related things, so Liam deferred.

But Deaton did not. He waited for Liam’s answer. “Yea. I felt like I wasn’t in a body anymore. That’s how painful it was. Like I was being ripped out of it.”

Deaton looked thoughtful, and was about to speak when Stiles and Kira burst in holding Scott’s mostly limp form. “Bring him here.” Deaton said. His door was open wide and the pair brought the Alpha in. Deaton began to shine lights in his eyes and placed a stethoscope on Scott’s chest, just like this was a regular visit to the doctor. “He’s feverish, but this isn’t wolfsbane.” Deaton said with surety. “His body is behaving mostly like a mortal. Wolfsbane would be attacking the wolf.” He explained with solemnity of a surgeon. Then again he’d been doing this for a while.

“Then what is it?” Stiles’ voice was no less pained than any of theirs, and for a moment, Liam felt selfish for feeling like only his worry mattered. But just for a moment.

“Liam, you said it was a Berserker’s blade that cut him?” Deaton asked, as if that point had to be wrong.

“I didn’t see him get cut, but Barrow was wielding a Berserker’s blade. But it was different.” He said, remembering the strange runic symbols all along it.

“Symbols?” Deaton said, pausing to think.

“If it’s a Berserk’s blade then this is Kate.” Derek said angrily. He had killed her years ago, and it was his attempted murder that had made her the monster who’d given them pain. Derek was blaming himself for this.

“If it’s Kate, then she has a Druid advising her. Or procured the services of one.” Deaton said finally. “That’s the only way I can see this working. A Druid must’ve carved into the bone. It’s a natural weapon so it can definitely be used to channel earth magic. If I knew what spells it used, I could reverse it. Without it, I can only make the pain manageable and hope Scott recovers on his own.”

Liam gestured for paper. He tried to remember some of the symbols on the blade. “I think I know some of them.” Deaton handed him a pad, and he immediately drew what he could remember of his brief sighting. Three lines, spread out in a fan, almost triangular. Or, they would be, except a long jagged line split them. So instead they looked sad or angry. Liam handed it to Deaton. “That’s the only one I remember clearly. There were moons too, and Scott’s symbol. The two circles.”

Deaton stared at the symbol for a while. He was thinking something through. Nobody spoke, and the entire room was completely silent except for Scott’s murmurs. “This symbol looks like the Awen.” He spoke finally. “But the jagged lines imply that the Awen is broken. Usually the symbol stands for a kind of balance, between light and dark, between the summer and the winter, between man and woman, or between any number of things. The jagged line would infer that it now means imbalance. Something in Scott has been imbalanced. The moons probably represent the lunar cycle, so it may have something to do with Scott’s werewolf nature. But he would behave like wolfsbane if they wanted him to lose control of his werewolf self. And it doesn’t explain the level of pain he felt.”

Derek responded first. “Scott’s symbol. The concentric circles? If they were part of the blade then it may have something to do with his status as an Alpha. We worried that Kate would use the power of La Iglesia to steal his Alpha Status. We may not have been wrong. If she has control over herself now, she may want the Alpha power in him to sire more of her kind.”

But it was Kira who seemed to find the right answer. “It was his.” She said at first. “His blade. He was a Berserker for a brief time. It was his blade.” She said more surely. “Think on it. No Berserker would give up their blade, and every one we killed had to be atomized to do it. But Scott put his down. So it’s his blade. Maybe he didn’t break Kate’s spell as well as he thought. The blade can hurt him, it seems. What if that was the plan all along.”

“A feint within a feint.” Stiles said, joining the idea. “Sure, if we killed Scott or he killed one of us, Kate would win. It’s what she wanted. But if she knew Scott was special, then she would have a back-up. She might have expected Scott to break her spell. Or at least feel like he did. She ran away pretty quickly, didn’t she?” Liam had to admit, Stiles and Kira spoke sense, possibly the most sense of anyone yet.

Deaton nodded. He still looked puzzled, like he was trying to puzzle out what had happened, but for now this was a solid working theory. “If she took the discarded weapon, and if Scott hadn’t broken the spell on himself, then she could possibly use a Druid to create some kind of mortal link between him and his weapon. It could mean that blade is just a blade to anyone but Scott.”

“It can do more.” Liam said, unsure how he knew. He was frightened at that knowledge, looking at his Alpha, and one of his best friends, laying in a curled up ball on a metal table, hardly aware of the world around them, much less anything else. How could it possibly do more than this? “Barrow was going for another strike. It’s possible the cut on his arm was an accident.”

Deaton looked at Liam curiously for as moment. It was like he was looking through the beta. Like he was seeing something that was inside him. “It may be true.” He mused. “We won’t know until we get that blade. And anyone supernatural could be in danger with Barrow running loose. Derek, you’ll need to inform Satomi. Stiles, take your friends home and let your father and Mr. Parrish know the situation. Kira, stay with Lydia and make sure she’s okay.”

“I want to stay with Scott.” Liam said, suddenly very afraid he’d be given some kind of assignment and sent away. He didn’t want to move from Scott’s side until he knew what that blade had done to him. It was my fault he was hurt Liam thought, realizing with horror that it was true. Scott had told him to wait. He had ignored him.

Nobody seemed to mind that, seeming to understand what kind of bond held the two werewolves together. More than simply Alpha and Beta, surely. He and Scott were joined by what happened in La Iglesia too. And now this. Painful memories, all of them, but Liam wouldn’t sacrifice a one of them.

“Liam.” Mason’s voice spoke out to him. Liam had forgotten his best friend. Again. There would be no way to forestall the conversation they needed to have. Mason would know about werewolves surely now. And it wasn’t as if ignorance had kept him out of it. Not knowing had almost killed him.

“Mason, you gotta see why I didn’t tell you. You’d have thought I was crazy, or worse.” Liam’s fears were many. His solid places very few. Mason was one of those. He was afraid he was about to lose it.

“I know. Stay with Scott. We can talk later. I’ll bring ice cream.” He said, with a smile. It was a little forced, but Liam didn’t blame him. He’d been kidnapped and used as bait. All Liam could think about was himself, and Mason was being so strong. For him.

Before he knew it, Liam was up on his feet, hugging Mason tight. “Thank you.” He said before releasing him. Tears threatened to fall again, and Liam almost wanted them to come. But not yet. When he was alone, maybe. But not yet.

Mason simply nodded before he was herded from the room, leaving only Liam, Deaton, and Scott’s unconscious form. Liam pulled up a chair next to the table. He placed it so he could sit closest to Scott’s head, and he ran a hand through the older boy’s hair, wishing he could do more. “I have to go do a bit of research before I can try and break the link between Scott and that blade. Can you guard him while I’m gone?” Deaton said, looking concerned for them both.

Liam nodded. “Yea.” He said, not trusting himself to speak more without beginning to crack. Deaton nodded, heading out of his office and shutting all the doors behind him. That left Liam alone with Scott, who was still whimpering unconsciously. Liam brush some hair out of his face, and started talking. He wasn’t sure if it would do any good, if Scott could even hear him, but it was worth a try. Coma patients could hear everything around them, right? So why not unconscious werewolves? “Scott. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” He said, a tear dropping onto the metal table. He didn’t have to hold them back now that he was alone. “This is all my fault.” He managed to get out, on the verge of outright sobbing.

Liam grabbed Scott’s arm gingerly, pulling it away from his body and turning it so the wound was face-up. The underside of Scott’s arm was so much paler than the rest of him. Liam ran a finger next to the wound. By all reason, it should have healed, turning back into pale unbroken skin. Few wounds could leave a scar on a werewolf. But this one seemed determined to do so. The wound was a bump in the skin, a line about four inches long. Unlike most scars, this one looked black, although it appeared that the black was fading. It would be a regular scar soon with any luck.

Liam’s finger didn’t stop at the end of the scar. Leaving it behind, Liam’s finger ran to Scott’s wrist, and then onto his palm. The beta carefully pulled the deep tanned fingers away from the palm. They fell away without complaint, leaving the crisscrossed palm open. Liam traced the lines in the hand gently, following each one, then moving to the next. “If I had listened. If I had waited for Derek and Kira. There were only two of them…” He said softly. He finished tracing the lines of Scotts hand, letting his rest fully in Scott’s. His body was not warm, but hot with the signs of fever. His body was working hard to fight whatever ailed it. Liam gave the hand a light squeeze. “I’m a failure. I’m sorry.”

The hand squeezed back, not letting go.

Liam’s eyes jumped to Scott’s face. He was no more conscious than before, but his mutters seemed to relate to Liam’s words. “No. Not failure.” He mumbled. Liam had to strain to hear him. “Proud. So proud.” His hand did not loosen, gripping Liam’s tightly. Liam couldn’t help but smile even though he was crying. Scott was proud of him. And Liam had gotten through to him. Again.

Leaving his hand wrapped in Scott’s, Liam bent down and kissed Scott’s cheek. He turned red as he did so. He had no idea why. Nobody could see him, and it had felt like the right thing to do. Then he whispered into Scott’s ear, “She can’t break us apart. I’ll break this spell too.”

*****

Liam had spent the next couple of days by Scott’s side. He spent the whole weekend visiting him. In the mornings he would go to the clinic, and hold Scott’s hand while he talked to him. At night he would go back home and pretend like everything was fine. Nobody disturbed them while he visited, but it was clear that Stiles came by occasionally after Liam left. Comic books and candy wrappers were his calling card. But Liam spent the most time by his Alpha’s side, hands interlocked. He talked to him, occasionally fingering the scar, which had indeed begun to turn white with time. It would make a good scar. Deaton had been giving Scott some kind of medicine, which was supposed to reduce his fever and remove the pain. It seemed to work, as every day Scott seemed more responsive. He would squeeze harder, or talk more when prompted.

It was Tuesday when Scott opened his eyes.

Liam had been skipping school. Mason was covering for him, saying he had a fever and couldn’t leave the bedside. Mason deserved a lot of thanks when this was all over. Liam was holding Scott’s hand again, fingers interlocked. Scott had seemed less feverish lately. He had just told Scott about Stiles’ mess today. He had left a Batman comic book on the chair this time, a good one it seemed, since it looked well read. Liam didn’t know enough about Batman to tell it apart from any of the others Stiles had brought. “Scott.” Liam said, not sure how much longer this would go on. “Scott, wake up, please.” He had said its like before, several times. But today Scott seemed to reply. He tensed up and gripped hard on Liam’s hand.

“Scott? Scott it’s me. Liam.” Liam said, bending closer to Scott to hear what he would inevitably whisper. Liam’s free hand was running over Scott’s collarbone, trying to calm him down.

“Liam.” Scott barely whispered it, but the word sent shivers down Liam’s spine. That single word had been filled with a need, a concern, a fear, and ten thousand other things Liam couldn’t pick out fast enough. “Liam.” Scott said, more urgently. He pulled on Liam’s hand, almost causing the smaller boy to lose his balance. “Liam.” It sounded weaker now, like Scott was falling back under.

Eager to keep him talking, Liam did the first thing that came to his mind. He kissed Scott. It wasn’t a heavy romantic make-out, but it was strong. It was passionate, and Liam didn’t regret a second of it. Scott’s body reacted immediately to it, his back arching like lightning had hit him. Liam’s hand was squeezed for all it was worth, pain shooting into the beta’s arm from the sheer force. Then Scott’s eyes snapped open.

They were blood red, the color of his Alpha transformation. Liam broke the kiss off and stepped backwards, tripping over the chair and sending it clattering to the ground. He kept his eyes locked on Scott, his heart thumping murder in his chest.

Scott growled once, a mixture of pain and anger, before his eyes faded back to their usual chocolate brown color. Then they just looked sad. He was breathing heavily, but Scott had come back to him. Scott had woken up. Liam wasn’t certain if it the kiss that did it. Scott had been acting strangely before that happened. It had to just be coincidence. But he was back, and that was all that mattered.

“Scott.” Liam said, smiling huge. He ran forward and hugged his Alpha for all he was worth. This boy who had driven him crazy with grief and anger and every other emotion under the sun.

“Hey there.” He spoke at last. His voice deep and reassuring, if a little weaker than normal. “What happened?” He said with uncertainty. Good. It meant he wouldn’t remember the kiss. Liam felt very embarrassed about that now, his face coloring for a moment just thinking about it.

“Nothing.” Liam started, but then had to correct himself. A lot had happened that Scott should be filled in on. “Well, not nothing. You got cut by that blade Barrow had. You went unconscious for days.” Liam saw Scott’s hand jerk to the scar on his arm, probably re-living that moment; that slice. “Yea, it’s gonna scar. Scars are cool yea?”

Scott nodded. “I remember that part. It hurt.” Liam knew firsthand that hurt was an understatement. It had nearly ripped him apart to only take some of that pain away. “But then…I must’ve been dreaming. It was terrible.” The fear that shone in his eyes told Liam that his mental pain may have been worse than the physical. Which was terrifying.

“Do you, wanna talk about it?” Liam asked uncertainly. Scott had been able to comfort him. Maybe he could do the same.

“It’s okay. It’s over now.” The words sounded empty. Liam would have to get him to talk to somebody. “I kept dreaming, and I’d hear you. I’d try to wake up and…” He trailed off, shaking his head.

“I talked to you. Every day. Sometimes it felt like you could hear me.” So Scott had heard him, and it had brought him back. “Stiles too.” He added belatedly.

“Yea. Then one time…” Scott touched his lips, and Liam’s heart jumped into his throat. He locked eyes with Liam. “Then you…” He didn’t want to say it, but if he remembered that kiss, there was no getting around it. If the kiss was what woke him up, then it was significant.

“I kissed you.” Liam said. “I’m sorry. It was just, you said my name. And it sounded like you were fading and I didn’t know what else to try. You always responded when I touched you, so I…”

Scott held his hand up. “It’s okay Liam. I’m not mad that you kissed me.” He managed to get down from the table, a little unsteady on his feet. Liam rushed in to support him. Liam’s hand pressed against the middle of Scott’s back, the older boy’s arm throw around his neck. For a lithe person, Liam was perfectly capable of supporting Scott’s weight.

“I’m glad.” Liam said, trying to figure out how to phrase his next sentence. He’d been trying for days as he watched Scott sleep fitfully. “Because you know we have a bond.” He started, using the words Scott himself had used last week. “A strong one. Twice now you’ve been under a spell, and I was the one.” He stopped, his heart hammering, trying to escape his chest. “I was the one who got through. Not Kira or Stiles, and I know they mean a lot to you but I mean…” he was rambling. Rambling was bad. “I spent the last few days holding your hand, and just thinking, when I wasn’t talking to you. I’ve never felt safe. I’ve never felt…comfortable.” Liam had started to cry a little, his voice wavering. “Everyone was always worried I’d do something, hurt something. Nobody ever, nobody but Mason, nobody ever hugged me or held me and told me I’d be alright. Nobody ever-“

Liam felt Scott’s mouth against his. Hot, passionate, with all the mixed jumble of feeling Liam had begun to associate with touching Scott McCall. He still felt his tears running down his face, but he felt Scott more. A firm had grabbed the back of his head, and sucked the breath out of him, both lips intertwined and seeking to go nowhere. He felt his own arms encircle Scott before he even knew what he was doing, pulling both of their bodies close. He felt that warmth, that safety, of Scott’s embrace. He felt the heat in those lips, and he knew what he had tried to say.

“Nobody ever Loved you.” Scott said, breaking the kiss off, but still keeping a hand held fast to Liam’s head. The way he said Love, with a capital L clear as day, made Liam’s heart flutter. Scott’s fingers brushed tears away from Liam, although now they’d started flowing in earnest. These were more tears of disbelief, of joy, rather than pain.

As if ending the moment, Scott’s stomach rumbled. “Of course! You’ve been out for days. You must be starving. I’ll go get us something to eat. Be right back.” Liam said, smiling. He turned, almost running into the metal table in his haste to get something, anything, that Scott needed.

Scott loved him.


	8. Family

Liam’s first thought was to call Mason. Scott had dropped him off at his house after a brief lunch together. None of their time had been quite as passionate as that initial kiss, but Liam and Scott were still both getting over the shock of it, so he was okay with that. Now he was sitting in his room, phone in hand, debating to call Mason or not. On one hand, he wanted to tell him what had happened. He wanted his best friend to know, and be happy for him. On the other hand, he knew that first they’d have to talk about what happened. Liam would have to tell him. He’d have to show him too, most likely.

“Three things cannot remain long hidden.” Liam said to himself, quoting Satomi and Brett’s mantra as he dialed the phone. Rip a band-aid off quickly, and it wouldn’t hurt so bad.

Mason didn’t take long to get there. He lived half a block away. They had for years. But seeing him in the doorway, Liam’s mind flashed back to seeing him tied up, bound and gagged. He got angry at Barrow all over again. “We ready to finally do this?”

“And more.” Liam said, which made Mason’s eyebrows raise. Liam patted the bed, indicating that Mason sit. For a long time Liam just sat, fiddling with his hands. He tried to come up with elegant ways to start. None of them seemed right. None of them could properly encompass what he was.

“So Danny says you’re a werewolf.” Mason said finally. Liam stared at him, dumbfounded. “What, you though I wouldn’t ask?”

Liam laughed. It was a nervous laugh, but he did anyway. “Yea. I am. How much did he tell you?”

“Enough to get it. You lose control on the full moon, you’re supernaturally gifted everywhere.” He said with a bit of emphasis on “everywhere.” “And you tend to fight evil and save the world.”

“You have to understand Mason, I’m not a monster. I’m not really.”

“I never thought you were. Liam, I’ve seen monsters. Garrett was a monster. You’re just a werewolf. Twenty-nine days out of the month you’re perfectly normal, even if you have gained a six-pack without trying while I’m still desperately trying to get one.” Mason laughed at his own joke, and Liam was surprised to find himself laughing too. So Mason had noticed that he was filling out thanks to the bite, had he?

“I’m better than normal, actually. Remember how you can’t beat me at video games?” He asked, gesturing to the controllers sitting on the ground.

“I knew you were cheating. I just couldn’t prove it.” Mason bluffed. But he had taken this all in stride. Like he had known for a lot longer than five days. His friend seemed to read his mind. “Lydia and I fought off a Berserker at the school. While you were in Mexico. I started asking questions then. She didn’t tell me everything, because she wanted you to. But I learned enough to realize that your secret was dangerous, that you were trying to protect me. I knew we’d get here with time. So is everyone a werewolf?”

Liam shook his head. “Derek is. Brett Talbot is, actually. That was kind of funny. And Scott is. He’s the one who bit me.”

“Wait, Scott bit you? Don’t you usually hate those guys?” Mason said, playing off classic mythology.

“I can’t hate him. I think I’m in love with him.” Liam said, casually dropping the bigger of the two bombs, in his opinion.

Mason’s face was shock, then acceptance, then a laugh. “You’re what? I spend several long years trying to find out if you’re gay, some of them crushing very hard on you, and when I’m certain nothing is ever going to happen, you’re in love? With the guy who bit you?” Mason expressed his concern, then laughed, “Must’ve been some hell of a bite.”

“He kissed me, actually.” Liam said, putting both hands to the side of his face. “I know, I know it’s crazy. I can’t explain it either. But he makes me feel nervous and anxious, and better. So much better. Like everything I do is better because he’s there. And I think surely ‘no this is wrong and it’s not happening’ but then I open my eyes back up and it is.” Liam was blushing, but he didn’t even care. Mason was letting him gush over this boy. Mason who had…”Wait you had a crush on me?”

“A long time ago.” Mason said behind a smile. “But yea. My best friend was super hot and I realized I was gay. So, you’re really into him eh? You’re stuck hard man. Lemme know if I need to beat up a werewolf for you. I’ll do it.” Mason held both conversations like a pro. They’d done it a million times. This time, though, he was genuinely happy for his friend. Mason had always been there. Liam didn’t know who he’d be without him.

“I’m glad you’re okay.” Liam said suddenly.

“I’m glad you came to rescue me. I knew you would. But I’m glad you did.” Mason responded like it was nothing. “So, he kissed you. What’s next?”

“That’s it so far. It just happened this morning.” Liam said, feeling a little foolish. He said he loved Scott, and he was almost certain that he’d never felt this way about anyone before. But he had shared one kiss. Just one. “You don’t think I’m crazy, do you?”

“Oh I know you’re crazy. You have prescription meds to prove it. But that has very little to do with this.” He smiled one of those shit eating grins. “And if you say you’re in love, I’ll believe you. But love is hard Liam. Are you ready for that yet?”

Liam wanted to say yes, but all he could think of were those moments when Scott held something back. The shirt with the strange scent. The looks his new family sometimes gave him. He didn’t know how to answer Mason.

*****

Family. That was the way to look at the people who surrounded Scott. Pack was the wrong word for them, because they weren’t wolves. They were a family though, and each one loved one another. Liam was part of that now, and he walked down the hallways the next morning reveling in that. Reveling in everything that happened.

He spotted Stiles and Malia, and made a beeline. “Sup guys?” He said, hands on the straps to his backpack.

Stiles chuckled a bit. “Someone’s in a good mood. What’s her name?” He asked nonchalantly. Liam almost seized up, thinking Stiles had found out already. But he slowly realized that was outrageous. Stiles was just making a joke.

“Haha. Real funny.” Liam brushed off the joke. “Where’s Scott?” He asked.

“Deaton doesn’t trust he’s fully healed yet. He’s back at the clinic.” Malia answered. Liam hadn’t even known Scott was going back after he dropped him off. “I didn’t believe him either. You don’t just wake up from that completely fine.”

“But he was. He was a little weak on his feet, but he seemed okay.” Liam said, worried that he had missed something.

Stiles patted him on the shoulder. “Scott always seems fine. Doesn’t mean he’s always telling us the truth.” It was a sad truth, one that Liam wished he could reject. One that he knew he couldn’t. Stiles and Malia packed up and walked off to class, leaving Liam alone in the hallway.


	9. Banshees

After school, Liam skipped practice again (coach was going to kick them all off the team one of these days) and rode his bike to the clinic. He had to make sure Scott really was okay, and that Deaton was just being over-protective. He leaned the bike against the wall, noting Scott’s motorcycle was there.

“Scott?” He called as the door chimed.

Scott’s head appeared from behind the doorway that led into the examination room. “Liam!” He said, opening the little barricade to the front counter. “Come on back. I’m just hanging out mostly. Deaton doesn’t want me to go anywhere and get in trouble.” Scott said, as if he hardly believed Deaton either.

Liam eagerly followed Scott, disappearing deeper into the clinic. Scott had made a small nest for himself in one corner. A blanket, a couple books, his computer, and a power strip covered in chargers. So Scott had slept here last night. “You didn’t have to send me home. I’d have stayed with you.” Liam said, as soon as he saw it.

“I know you would’ve.” Scott said, grabbing Liam’s shoulders. “But I needed to think. To be alone.” Liam loved being so close to Scott, his shoulders under Scott’s firm hands. He moved to pull Scott closer. And Scott resisted. 

Liam looked up at Scott. “What’s wrong?” He asked, suddenly fearful.

“Slow down Liam.” Was the reply. And Liam didn’t like it. He had just started liking this boy, daring to tell Mason he might love him, and Scott wanted him to slow down? “You want to move too quickly.”

“Is that what you had to think about? Whether you meant what you said to me?” Liam felt himself becoming angry, irrationally so.

Scott looked a little fearful now too. “It’s not like that. I meant every word. I really did. But I’m not easy to get close to, Liam. Love and I have a bad history.”

“Your first.” Liam said, remembering Scott saying that his first love had died.

“More than just Allison. Before you, there was a beta. He was strong, but fragile. He had been abused by his father. Nearly broken.” Liam caught the ‘he’ in that language. Scott had loved another boy before. And had his heart broken?

“The shirt.” Liam said, putting it together.

“What shirt?” Scott asked.

“In your room. There’s a shirt. It had a weird scent on it. It was his wasn’t it?”

“Isaac. His name was Isaac.” Scott’s eyes glazed over a little, as if he were seeing him now. “I took him under my wing. He was in Derek’s pack before I was an Alpha. We became close. When he had nowhere to go, he came to me. At first he was like a brother to me. Then more like…well like you.” Scott said finally. “When you first got bitten, my friends thought I’d bitten you on purpose. To replace him. You two are a lot alike.” Scott said, admitting something that had been weighing on him, it seemed.

“So you didn’t know if…” If Scott had loved him. Or loved Isaac, and Liam just reminded him of Isaac. “Well?”

“I still don’t know.” Scott said. Liam moved to pull away, but Scott caught his hands and held them tight. “But I like this. I do. I’m just a little scared. To get close again.”

Suddenly Liam remembered those first tender words to him. “…if you ever left me. Those words weren’t just for me. Isaac left? He didn’t die?”

Scott smiled. “So you do pay attention.” He said a bit bitterly. “Yes. Isaac started to fall in love with Allison. We had broken up, Allison and I. I told him it was okay. Then she died.” Liam could barely comprehend that. Somebody you love, falling in love with your first love. And then having one of them die, and the other leave, all at once. “I knew I had to stay. Too many people needed me. But Isaac couldn’t stand to be here anymore. He left. I think he went to France. I haven’t seen him since.”

“Scott…” Liam said, all of his anger melted away. Scott had to be strong, with his heart shattered into pieces.

“You see? I was afraid to say what I felt. Because I know something bad is going to happen to you now. Just like I wouldn’t say it Kira. At least she’ll stay safe.” Scott said, all but admitting he had powerful feelings for Kira too.

“All the more reason to enjoy this while it’s here.” Liam said firmly. He hands slid up Scott’s arms, inching him closer to the tan boy. Scott didn’t fight back. Something in him wanted to stop fighting it. Wanted to let it happen. Liam snaked a hand around Scott’s neck, bending the taller boy down. Their lips met again. This time it was soft. A tiny peck, then another. The heat from before, the insatiable need to communicate wasn’t there. Liam just wanted Scott to know he was there.

Before long, Scott began to peck back. The kisses came longer. Slowly, Liam’s mouth was pushed open. Scotts tongue dove in, and Liam welcomed it eagerly. He felt Scott pull him in close again, pressing their chests right up against one another. A hand appeared behind Liam’s head, holding it still as Scott pushed deeper with his tongue. Liam fumbled to keep up with him. Scott had done this a lot. Liam hadn’t. He eventually found a sort of motion, his tongue wrapping around Scott’s, occasionally chasing it back into Scott’s mouth. He would push forward then, and hear soft sounds of welcome rumble from Scott.

Scott slowly slid a hand under the back of Liam’s shirt. He gasped at first, the touch unexpected. Scott paused their kissing, pulling back for just a moment. “Are you okay?” He breathed, taking his time to catch his breath.

Liam nodded. “Mhm. Just unexpected.”

Scott smiled, moving back in for a kiss, but planting it solidly on Liam’s neck instead of his lips. A blossom of warmth filled the side of Liam neck, and he let his head fall back. A moan escaped him then, completely unbidden, as Scott bit and sucked on the boy’s neck. He felt himself relaxing into Scott’s arms. And he felt himself begin to get aroused. He hadn’t even thought of it, but now he felt the heat from his dick, pressed tight against his body. It was responding to Scott’s kisses, his hand pressed firmly to Liam’s back.

Liam wanted to do his part, so he pulled Scott from his neck, kissing him briefly on the lips before he bite down on Scott’s own neck. He tried to imitate Scott’s sucking and biting. He moved from place to place, kissing any bit of exposed neck he could find. He felt Scott’s nails press against his back and he smiled, knowing he was doing something right. His own hands slid beneath Scott’s shirt, but were running over the boy’s abs, tracing lines between then with one hand as he gripped Scott’s waist with the other. Both boys moaned softly together in that moment, each completely into the fulfillment the other was both giving and receiving.

The door chimed in the reception hall.

Both boys groaned in frustration, breaking off from one another. Scott quickly checked his reflection, making sure he didn’t look like he was just furious making out in the back room of his boss’s clinic, before going to see who it was. Liam dropped into the chair Scott had been sleeping in, feeling like whoever it was had robbed him of something.

When Scott rounded the corner again, however, it was Lydia who followed him. Liam jumped to his feet, eager to see what was going on. “What happened?”

Lydia took one glance at Liam, “I could ask the same question.” She had, in one moment, seemingly surmised everything that had been going on? Liam refused to believe that. “I have a feeling. A Banshee one.”

“Why are telling us?” Liam asked tentatively.

“I’m telling Scott.” She bit back. “Because I always tell Scott. Because he does something about it.”

“Lydia.” Scott said a little more forcefully than was necessary, “What kind of feeling? Did you scream?”

She turned her head to him sharply at the word scream. Liam had picked out that she was a Banshee, and that her screams foretold death. But she was listening to Scott, like trying to catch something that wasn’t there. “No. Not yet.” She said at last. “I just have the feeling. A fight, a battle. Maybe a death. You are at the center of it, Scott. Thought I’d warn you.”

“That’s it? ‘Sorry there’s gonna be a battle sometime and it involves you Scott?’ And then you just leave?” Liam wanted to know more. IF it was Barrow, and that blade, then they had much more to worry about.

“I’m sorry, Liam, would you like to try telling the future through psychic screams and voices in your head? I can’t get more specific. So until I scream, maybe you should worry about Scott’s, because he’s been screaming in my head since I walked through the door!” Lydia realized what she said, and looked taken aback for a moment. She looked at Scott, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know they were yours.”

Scott deflated, then steeled himself. “It’s okay Lydia. Go home. Call me if anything else happens.” She nodded, looking relieved to get out of there by any means necessary. As soon as she was gone, Liam wanted to rush at Scott, but he held up a hand. “I begin to wonder if Lydia’s powers put her where she can feel the most pain, or if she does it to try and make sense of them.”

“Scott, if you’re in pain…” Liam said, his eyes almost flaring that famed golden color. He was angry.

“Liam, most of what Lydia says is metaphorical. She could be feeling echoes of my pain from earlier. That much pain might stay with me.” He said, looking away from the young beta.

“Or you could be lying to me Scott.” Liam said, feeling hurt. Scott wasn’t supposed to lie to him. He thought Scott had told him everything. Why lie now? “What happened while you were knocked out? You said you had dreams.”

“Liam, please. Don’t.” Scott rarely pleaded with anyone.

Liam remembered Mason. How strong he was. How he had known something and never pressed for all the details. Scott was in pain, but if he wasn’t ready….”Okay.” He said, backing down. Love was hard, Mason had said. And so it was. “But I’m here okay? Don’t push me away. Just promise me that.”

Scott nodded. “I’d never want to do that to you, Liam. Never.”

Liam sighed a breath of relief. “Good. Then we have to warn everybody, right? Heed the Banshee?” Liam knew better than to ignore the warning of a banshee, regardless of how vague it had been.

“Yea.” Scott said. Then a wicked gleam flashed in his eyes. “But we don’t have to warn them right this second…” He pulled Liam for another kiss.


	10. Assassins

Liam and Scott had split up after that. Scott said it was so they could warn everyone faster and make up for their little “detour.” Liam figured it was just to keep them from having a lot of time to talk about what Lydia said about Scott. “Damn stubborn fool.” Liam said, kicking a rock as he approached the loft where Derek stayed. Scott wanted to bottle everything up and take it on himself, when Liam was right there. Then again, he had put Mason in the same situation. He and his Alpha were more alike than he wanted to admit.

Liam traveled up an elevator to Derek’s open-planned loft, pushing the door open without really knocking. “Derek.” He said as he opened the large sliding door.

Derek looked up from where he sat in his bed, thinly disguising annoyance at having been walked in on. He had been…reading? Liam didn’t think he was the type. But he had to do something when he wasn’t helping Scott fight evil. “They let you go out alone now?” He said with a wry grin.

“Watch it. We’re both werewolves. Equal footing.” He challenged. He wouldn’t be insulted when he was trying to help.

“No. We’re both werewolves. That doesn’t make us equal. I have years of experience and have felled and been an Alpha. You barely survived your third moon.” Derek spit back out. But he wasn’t stepping up to the challenge. He sounded more like he was putting down a child. Like Liam’s challenge didn’t even matter.

It made him more riled up. “You’re right. We aren’t equals. Scott taught me that an Omega is weaker than a Beta.” He knew he shouldn’t have said it. He was letting his anger take control again. But he didn’t care.

Derek stood at the insult, his solid two hundreds of muscle glistening in the light through his large windows. “I’d think really carefully about the next words you say in my house, after barging in on me.” His eyes shone with the blue light that marked him as a werewolf…one who had committed murder.

Liam tried to calm himself down, but refused to apologize. “I’m spreading Lydia’s warning. Something bad is going to happen. It will involve Scott.”

“Has she screamed?” Derek asked. He tossed the insults out of the window to deal with Scott, but he wouldn’t forget them. Liam knew he’d pay for them later.

“No. Not yet.” Liam said. “Scott wants everyone ready for the call. We don’t know how much time we’ll have to warn anyone.” And with that he left, leaving Derek to prepare however he wanted. He didn’t trust himself not to make more insults. He was on edge ever since discovering Scott was in pain.

Liam’s bike ride across town left him too much time to think. He was heading back to the school now. Scott’s motorcycle was far more likely to warn everyone before Liam could. His only target had been Derek. Now what he needed was something normal like a tough lacrosse practice to just keep him from reflecting on everything that had happened.

Burn him! Every time it seemed like something good was happening, Scott gave him reasons to doubt him, or feel worried. He could handle whatever was plaguing Scott! He shook it off as he entered the locker room a little late, but better than never. He dressed quickly and in silence, the only one in the empty locker room. The place was kind of haunting, when it was empty. It felt like more eyes were watching him now than when it was full of twenty other boys.

“Hey! You do remember what practice is!” Coach’s voice was familiar, welcome even. It was very normal. Liam smiled before taking the field, under strict instructions to “show these boys what real lacrosse is!”

Two things surprised Liam as he stepped onto the field. One, Kira was in the goal behind him. Scott and Stiles ditched practice all the time. He assumed that all of his new extended family did. But Coach never claimed Kira had been corrupted. He gave her a mark of respect for continuing the mundane routines even when she’d rather be elsewhere. It occurred to him now that she had visited Scott far less while he was unconscious. Perhaps this was why. The second surprising thing, however, was that Mason was in the bleachers.

Now, practices were public events. Anyone could watch. And Mason often did. But he usually was waiting for Liam to finish when he did. It struck him as odd he’d be here when Liam had missed practice for over a week. The dark-skinned boy smiled and waved as he noticed Liam take the field. He even shouted something like “That’s my boy!” but Liam couldn’t quite make it out.

Coach blew his whistle for them to begin and Liam’s time for contemplation was over. The other team charged, and for a moment fear seized Liam. What if one turned into a berserker again? He looked around for Scott, and didn’t find him. He steeled himself, breathing deeply. He muttered softly to himself. “Sun, moon, truth. Sun. Moon. Truth.”

He opened his eyes, and all that was in front of him a gangly group of teenagers, trying to get the ball before him. Liam sprinted forward, sliding low and snagging the ball in his stick. He rose up fluidly, to Mason’s cheer and Coach’s approving remarks. It was just like he thought. Lacrosse practice was forcing him to focus, and everything else shut out for a little while. Liam scored again and again, rarely having to borrow power from his gifts. He didn’t feel they were always fair, after how badly he used them to beat Mason at video games. But every now and then, after a particularly rough tackle, Liam could hear a growling, and was glad Kira was too far away to hear.

Their team was up too much for the game to matter anymore by the time Liam began to come back to reality. Having a supernatural goalie who only got scored on when she let you in was just a little unfair. Danny had tried hard, but Kitsune ninja powers beat attractive gay guy. After his latest shot was deflected, coach blew the whistle.

“Mercy please! I don’t condone murder!” Coach called from the sidelines.

Liam bent over his knees, breathing in deeply. He welcomed the exhaustion for a moment. He ran to the water cooler, pouring himself a long draught to replenish what he’d sweated out in practice. Being a werewolf helped none on that front. He looked over to see Kira taking long sips from her water bottle. She kept hitting her ear like it wasn’t working. Then she mouthed something Liam couldn’t hear.

Couldn’t hear? Kira was less than half the field away. She could whisper and his ears would pick it up. He watched closely, and saw her lips forming “Liam.” But he was already on full alert, looking about for danger. 

He didn’t see anything. He frowned, jogging over to Kira. If something was to happen, and according to Lydia’s warning it would, then he wanted her by his side. As he came closer, though, he saw Kira sweating more than she should. As he got even closer, her eyes glazed over, and she fell onto the grass, water bottle bouncing.

“Kira!” Liam yelled, sliding to her, shielding her with his body, in case an attack was imminent. He became grateful that he did, because an arrow slammed into his left arm, sending a trail of pain blossoming through his limb. He looked for the assailant, but he couldn’t see anyone around. Either it was a good shot, or they were on the move. Liam’s eyes flared yellow, and he growled once, threateningly.

A second arrow lodged itself just above his collarbone. He roared again, this time in pain. Someone was toying with him. Either of those shots could’ve been lethal. Liam grabbed Kira and dragged her into the cover of the goal. It was flimsy protection, but better than nothing. It was clear at this point that they were dealing with a hunter of some kind. Liam didn’t want it to be the Calaveras. If they had decided to strike, then there would be no mercy for the two.

A third arrow flew at them, but Liam ducked, hearing the projectile well in advance. So it seemed his hearing was coming back to him. He looked down at the unconscious Kira in his arms, hoping she’d wake up. “Come on…” He said, impatiently tapping her shoulder. It came clear to him, through his enhanced hearing and simple deductive reasoning, that there were three bowmen, at least. It meant this was a coordinated hunt, which again spoke of the Calaveras. He could hear them moving and shuffling about, trying to find cover to shoot from.

“How do I wake you up?” Liam said to the girl beneath him. He was getting frustrated. If he couldn’t get her mobile, they’d both die. He needed her to shake off whatever had happened to them, like he was doing. He needed her to heal. “I’m so sorry about this Kira.” He said in advance, claws protruding from his hand. He needed to wound her deeply enough that her healing would kick in, but still leave her able to fight. So he stabbed into her side, claws biting deep and eliciting a gasp from the girl. He pulled his hand away covered in shining blood. He felt disgusting. He tried to shake the liquid off his hand, but he was having no luck.

Kira coughed as the healing started to kick in. Her eyes solidified and Liam saw the bleeding from his wound stop. She looked at him, knelt over her with arrows sticking out of his body. Somewhere along the way a third arrow had slammed into his thigh. “What’s happening?” She asked. “Did you beat the poison?”

Poison? Was that what she had been mouthing, just before she fell unconscious? It would make sense. “Yea. Healing it knocked it right out of me. Three archers at least, maybe more. We’re kind of sitting ducks.”

Kira took to the words as he looked around suddenly. She was scouting for more. “Four.” She corrected. How did she see them? Liam hadn’t seen a single sign of any of them. The girl pushed up to a squat, grabbing her lacrosse stick. Liam had left his back by the water cooler. He was defenseless, not that a lacrosse stick could stop an arrow.

SCHING!

Liam corrected himself as Kira’s stick deflected an arrow. Damn ninja. “Very cool.”

“Run! Now!” Kira instructed, standing up and running across the field, trying to draw their fire. Seconds ago she had been on the ground with Liam barely keeping arrows off her. Now she ran forward like a madman.

“How do they do it?” Liam said, turning and running the opposite direction. He was closer to this side of the field anyway, and if they were following her, he could make a clean getaway. An arrow flew wide of him as he ran, but it was followed by a grunt that made Liam look back.

One of the archers had tumbled over, sprawled atop a set of bleachers. Mason held a lacrosse stick, broken, in his hands. He smiled at Liam and waved the stick. “Run you idiot!” Liam yelled, and sprinted off. What the hell was Mason doing attacking supernatural killers? He knew he never should’ve told him the truth!

A roar from the opening to the locker room made Liam pull up short, and he knew instantly why the archers were gathered on the other end. The Blue-eyed Beta stood in his way, tall and imposing. Liam didn’t have a vat of hot metal to save him this time, and he didn’t know if he’d be able to stop him. “Why are you trying to kill us!?” He yelled in vain.

“Because that’s the contract.” Liam hadn’t been expecting an answer. He was surprised to hear one, but wasn’t surprised to know they still had a bounty on their heads. The Benefactor may have been stopped, but it didn’t stop other people from coming up with the same idea. It meant that the archers firing on them were also mercenaries, and that this guy…Kincaid? Was also hired on. This was nothing more than a job.

“Really? I’m not worth that much money!” Liam sighed in exasperation, extending his claws. He could feel the three arrowheads buried in his arms and legs, and knew they’d slow them down. He was in no shape for this fight.

“The price isn’t for you.” He gave Liam one shove which sent him sprawling backwards to slam against the ground. Two of the arrows jerked in their positions, shafts snapping and jolts of agony racing through Liam. A weak groan escaped his lips. Stars spun before his eyes as he tried to get up. “It’s for him.” Liam barely heard the words as his head spun, but he didn’t need clarification on who that ‘him’ was.

Suddenly, the man’s foot slammed down of Liam’s arm, a bone snapping and Liam shouting in pain. It was a primal grunt, Liam clenching his jaw as tightly as he could. “Now I’m going to need you to yell for him.” Kincaid said, staring into Liam’s eyes. Liam’s breathing was erratic, like he was hyperventilating, but he stayed quiet. “I see. Shame.” Kincaid’s claws extended from his hand, a single clawed finger tearing through Liam’s jersey and leaving a bright red line down Liam’s chest. “Yakuza are very good at making people scream when he want.”

Kincaid took a send finger and plunged it deep into the skin of Liam’s abdomen. Liam grunted, spit forming in his mouth as he tried not to scream. His face was red, his veins standing on end as every inch of him fought against the man who had his broken arm pinned under one boot. It would heal soon, but soon wasn’t good enough. Kincaid plunged a second finger into Liam, sinking it as deep as it would go. Liam couldn’t see any of the finger past the first digit. He wondered vaguely if werewolf healing had a limit. “Still nothing?” Kincaid said. He had no idea how close Liam was to screaming.

“Oh well. Three then?” Kincaid’s finger never struck home. Suddenly, his back arched and the smell of burning flesh permeated the air. Kincaid fell over, unconscious, as Kira stood behind him, a sword in hand. Liam had been told she a thunder kitsune. She must’ve channeled lightning through the blade, like a massive stun baton. Liam could only guess where she got the sword from.

Mason stood behind her, his face a mixture of concern and pride. “You okay dude?” He said, gesturing the arrows, the torn clothing, and the two very deep puncture wounds in Liam’s abdomen.

“I’ll be okay. Just help me get away from here. How’d you guys get rid of the archers?”

“Stun guns work on humans too.” Kira said, pulling Liam onto her shoulder. He winced in pain, feeling all his injuries pull against him. “Mason may have helped.” She admitted as she dragged the boy away from the field.

“And the team? They just turn a blind eye to a supernatural hit squad?” He asked, fighting to stay conscious.

“Fire alarm got pulled. They were long gone before that first arrow hit you. Did you really not hear it?” Mason said, supporting Liam’s other side. They were dragging him more than supporting at this point, but Liam wasn’t splitting hairs.

“I was busy fighting off a slow acting poison at the time.” Liam said, feeling the ground turn to tile underneath him. “We should go, they’ll…wake up soon…” He managed before his eyes closed.


	11. Showers

Liam’s next sensation was warm water. And pain. He wasn’t in a shower. It felt more like someone was washing his cuts. It felt nice. Liam started to move, before agony flared on his left side and a firm hand pushed him back down to the table. “Whoa there.”

Scott.

“Scott…asian hitmen…” He mumbled, opening his eyes and letting the room come into focus. He wasn’t at school anymore. He was in someone’s bathroom. Scott’s bathroom. He was sitting in the shower it seemed, as Scott washed blood off of him.

“I know. Now relax so I can clean you up.” Scott was running a wet cloth over his body. He had ripped the arrows out of Liam’s body, but the wounds were still open and bleeding. His werewolf healing would kick in, but Liam didn’t know how long that would take with such extensive wounds.

“Can werewolf healing…not work?” He voiced aloud as he watched Scott’s hand almost hypnotically rubbing the cloth in circles to get the dried blood off.

Scott looked curious for a moment, “It can. If you get hurt too badly, or if you are poisoned with wolfsbane. We aren’t indestructible.” He said the last part with just a touch of sadness. He had seen people die, Liam recalled.

“Poison.” Liam said firmly, remembering events as they came back to him. “That’s what it was. In the team’s water.” He had figured that one out as he thought of how he had gotten poisoned. Kira had been filling up her water bottle, and Liam had been fine until after he started drinking. Clearly they wanted to catch all the supernaturals. Catch them for what though? Kincaid had said that the bounty was for Scott. “Oh! Kincaid, the Asian guy?” Liam said, sitting up more and causing Scott to nearly fall into him with the sudden movement.

Scott nodded. “He said there’s a price on your head. Not the Benefactor. Someone hired him.”

“I know. Kira told me everything. Poison is why your healing is so slow, and why Kira was afraid you wouldn’t pull through. She told me how he wanted you to scream. To call for me.” He smiled a bit, and Liam smelled…pride? “How you didn’t so much as whimper.”

“Well I definitely was in pain. I don’t know what sounds I made.” Liam said before he realized Kira had likely embellished a little on his behalf. “But I sounded totally in control. Yea. No screaming.” He chuckled a little at his terrible save.

Scott chuckled too, leaning forward and kissing Liam again. It was a light, playful kiss, and was quickly over. Liam missed it as soon as it was over. “I’d have broken much faster if they used that.” Liam said, pulling Scott back down and kissing him again. It was a little more forceful, and a little longer this time.

“Not now, not now.” Scott said, jerking a thumb toward the bathroom door. “Kira’s kind of right outside.” He whispered, almost mouthing it. He knew Kira could hear as well as they could, and was trying not to alert her. “I’ll let her know you’re okay. Now that you’re awake, you can clean yourself up. Just don’t get blood on the towels. My mom would kill me if I ruined more good towels.” In that moment he seemed so human. Unlike the Scott who had to be the pack leader or solid as stone. Just a teenager afraid his mother would ground him. Liam liked that side of him. He wished he could see it more.

Scott stood up and ducked out of the door, closing it behind him. Liam heard voices through the wall, although they had to be talking pretty softly, because Liam couldn’t make out specifics. Not that he cared. He slowly pulled himself up inside the small shower, taking stock of himself. His shirt was long gone, ripped open by Kincaid and probably in a garbage can somewhere. Scott hadn’t stripped anything else off him but his shoes and socks, which were nowhere to be seen. He was still wearing his torn up shorts and his underwear. He reflected almost ironically how he had been in this exact same situation only a few days ago, and yet how much had changed since then.

This time, Liam gladly shucked off his shorts and underwear, stepping naked into Scott’s shower. There was no modesty this time. He wasn’t afraid Scott would walk in on him naked, nor did he feel strange being so in Scott’s room. He wondered for a moment about Scott’s offer last time he was here, to take a shower. Did Scott know even then? Had he been trying to get Liam to take his clothes off? “I was scared then.” Liam said to himself as he turned on the hot water.

It was a mix of sensations then. The hot water felt like fire to his cuts, bruises, and open wounds. He knew that hot water would cleanse them and make them cleaner, to prevent infection. If werewolves could even get infected. Liam wasn’t sure. It was one of those good kinds of pain, like when your arms are sore from a heavy day at the gym, and you put up with the pain because it meant something good. These wounds were something good. He had protected Scott by taking them. So he could stomach the pain. The rest of his body rejoiced in the heat. Liam had been taking his showers almost as pure scalding hot water since the bite. His body was usually warm enough that the cold water wasn’t necessary. He only used cold water during full moons, to keep him calm and focused.

He let the water run for a few minutes, just relaxing and letting the last few days drain away. He looked around tentatively for a body wash and a shampoo, although it felt weird to use someone else’s shower stuff. It was oddly personal. Still, Scott had offered, so Liam grabbed a bottle of body wash and started to pour it into his hands. He realized as he did that he would smell even more like Scott after this shower. He never would smell exactly like the Alpha on the other side of the door, but he didn’t mind wearing the same scents on his skin.

Liam was partially through soaping himself down when the handle to the door opened. At first he thought he imagined it, but felt the change in air pressure as the door cracked, hot steam escaping into the room beyond. Again he was reminded of a week ago when he sat on the bed and that door had filled the room with the warm, wet air. “Hello?” He said tentatively, trying to see who was there. There was no response, but a rustling and a shadow were visible through the curtain. Something hit the ground with a muted thump.

Liam tensed and pulled back the curtain.

Scott jerked up from where he was, shirtless and in his boxers with one foot freed from his jeans, the other soon to follow. He smiled as he was noticed, and maybe even blushed a little. It was hard to tell with Scott’s naturally tanned skin. It wasn’t the first time Liam had seen Scott in this state of undress. They practically got naked right next to each other every day for lacrosse practice. So he wasn’t blushing because of his lack of clothing. “Sorry to scare you. I thought I’d join you.” He said weakly, as if testing the waters. He was blushing because of what he wanted to do!

Liam had to try very hard not to smile wide as he shrugged. “Sure, why not.” He said as coolly as he could. Scott didn’t have to know how much he would enjoy this.

Scott didn’t hide his smile, which seemed relieved. Did Scott think he’d turn him down? I did before, Liam thought to himself. Scott pulled his remaining pant leg off and kicked the jeans to one side before tucking both thumbs into his boxers. Liam had never seen Scott naked. Mostly naked, sure. Covered only by a towel? Commonplace. But never naked. Then again, Scott had never seen Liam naked, and yet he was getting an eyeful now. Could that have been why he blushed. Liam felt himself growing red too, thinking about the situation.

Scott’s boxers hit the ground and he laughed at Liam’s reddening skin. Liam was pretty pale, all things considered, so there was no hiding it. The larger boy stepped into the shower carefully, snaking a hand around Liam’s waist. He pulled them tight, and for the first time their bodies collided, skin on skin with no barriers in between. “I take my showers hot too.” Scott said, pretending to ignore the intense rush of feeling and instead commenting on the heat of the water.

“Must be a werewolf thing.” Liam said, though he wasn’t as good at ignoring the sensations he was feeling. His voice shook a little. He let him head lean back against Scott’s collarbone, practically melting into the boy under the heat of the shower. He noted that it was kind of small for two people, ensuring they’d stay close to each other. Liam didn’t mind.

 

Shortly afterwards, Scott’s hands were moving. His body wash was in his hands, and he was pouring it in. “Here, let me help you.” He said a little bit of a smile in his voice. Liam pulled away from him, turning to the face his Alpha so he could do a better job. And then the hands were upon them. They started at Liam’s neck, working the soap in and grabbing, massaging muscles that Liam didn’t know were tight until Scott’s hand removed them. They slid down Liam’s collarbone, gingerly passing over the younger boy’s chest.

Scott was careful to avoid the fresh wounds, which were indeed closing, if slowly. He still managed to grab and pull on anything he could touch. Liam felt him grab his chest, lingering with a tug on his nipples. They had already grown hard under the water, but if they hadn’t, Scott’s touch would’ve woken them up. His finger traced down Liam’s abs, feeling the outline of each one with the nail on his fingers. He had run out of soap by now, but the pretense for getting to touch Liam was over. Scott was exploring now.

As the hands trailed down, Liam noticed a bigger problem. His dick had begun to respond, growing as Scott continued to provide a stimulating hand. “Uh, Scott.” Liam said, glancing down and blushing.

Scott looked down with him and smiled. When they met eyes again, Scott’s had a little bit of hunger in them. “It’s fine.” He said, trying to encourage the young beta to relax. “You think I didn’t expect you to get hard as I’m feeling you up?” Scott said, stepping forward to erase the tiny distance there had been between them. His hand grabbed tight around Liam’s dick, and the boy’s pelvis jerked in response. A small gasp escaped his lips at the unexpected motion.

Unable to prevent it, Liam reached forward and pulled Scott’s head down for a kiss even as Scott’s hand slid back and forth over Liam’s length. Every now and again Liam would shudder in their kiss, and Scott would smile without ever breaking away from Liam’s lips. Eventually Liam broke off of their kiss, moving his lips to do his own exploration. He gently kissed right below Scott’s jaw, which elicited a small exhalation that gave Liam a reason to smile. He had discovered that particular spot in Deaton’s clinic.

Liam continued to move down, biting and kissing on Scott’s neck as the older boy continued to jack him off. Liam’s ass clenched and flexed in response to Scott’s hand, slowly teasing his head. Occasionally, Scott would lightly tease a nail over Liam’s head, causing the beta to moan through his kisses and buck a little bit. “Damn you’re good at this.” Liam verbalized the thought between kisses, barely realizing he had said it out loud. Liam would need to stop Scott, or he wouldn’t last much longer. And Liam very much wanted to last longer.

So Liam brought his kisses lower. Tracing a line right between Scott’s collarbones and then moving to his nipple. He bit and sucked on it, licking around it briefly. Scott seemed to respond to that, because he squeezed harder on Liam’s dick. Liam would come back to that later, if he made it that long. Liam used his mouth and tongue to trace over Scott’s abs instead of a finger, thought by now he was also employing his hands, grabbing at any solid part of Scott he could. Liam squeezed Scott’s ass as he moved further down his abs, purely for his own benefit. Liam had stared at that ass, and he may not have realized he was doing it until recently, but he had longed to have it under his hands.

Finally, Liam traveled far south enough that Scott released his dick, unable to follow him. Liam had dropped to a knee, kissing his way down Scott’s body. It was then that he realized Scott had a very similar problem to his own.

Scott’s dick was placed directly in front of Liam’s face at this point. It was big, and was a solid hand thick. Liam hadn’t personally appraised many dicks in his life, but Scott’s looked impressive. Straight as a board, it shot out from just below his waist. It was hard to tell under the water, but Liam saw a drop of pre-cum wash off the tip of Scott’s length.

Liam realized looking at it that he wanted it. He wanted it badly. He placed an unsteady around it, feeling the warmth that Scott’s dick put off. He experimentally ran a hand up and down the shaft, careful to leave the head alone. Scott seemed to encourage the action, squeezing on Liam’s shoulder. Scott’s head was so close, Liam could almost taste it. He really could. The blue-eyed boy looked up Scott’s body, a question on his mouth. “I’ve…I’ve never done this before.” He stated. He’d received a few blowjobs. Okay, one blowjob at a party. But he’d never even looked at a guy like he looked at Scott, wanted for one like he wanted Scott. 

His Alpha just smiled. It was warm, and inviting. This was just one more thing he could teach to his beta. “It’s okay. It’s real simple.” Scott placed two hands on Liam’s head, and the boy opened his mouth, placing it over the head of Scott’s dick. His lips closed around the head and Liam bobbed up and down a little on it, unsure of what exactly to do. “Use your mouth just like you would a hand.” Scott advised, his eyes closed. “Mhm.” He said, as Liam’s head moved back and forth a little faster. “Yea, use your tongue.”

Liam slid his tongue around the shaft of Scott’s dick, letting it slide all the way back up. Then he remembered what Scott had done to him earlier, and ran his tongue just under the head of Scott’s dick. Scott bucked in response, his entire lower body twitching. Liam smiled as much as he could, continuing to bob up and down. He only made it about halfway down Scott’s dick in any one motion, but it didn’t seem to matter. Scott’s breathing had grown deeper, and he was moaning a bit more consistently. Liam sucked down harder, then released. Scott seemed to like that too, so he did it a few more times, eliciting a few more moans. By now Scott’s eyes were closed, and he was licking his lips. “Yes. Ah. Ah. Mhm.”

For the next couple of minutes, Scott became the focus of Liam’s world. Liam tried as hard as he could, flicking his tongue over Scott’s head, occasionally adding a hand to jerk the part of Scott’s dick that didn’t fit in Liam’s mouth. Every moan, twitch, or groan of satisfaction only made Liam grow more bold, more daring. He felt Scott tense up every muscle from his toes to his ears, and knew the end was coming.

And suddenly Scott had pulled him off his dick, kissing him.

Both hands were around Liam’s head, and Liam felt his back hit the wall of the shower. Scott pressed close to Liam, their dicks smashed between their abs as Scott’s tongue shot into Liam’s mouth. Scott didn’t care if that tongue had just been on his dick, just been about to make him cum. Liam didn’t care either, kissing Scott back just as fiercely. “I had to stop you.” Scott breathed between kisses. “Didn’t want this to end…yet.”

So Liam was right. He had driven Scott to the edge. Scott broke off his kiss from Liam, and then it was his Alpha’s turn to drop to his knees. Liam had to blink to believe it. It seemed so unnatural, Scott on his knees before anyone, and suddenly their relationship was that much more intimate.

Scott didn’t even look up as he took Liam’s cock into himself, sucking with a practiced mouth. Liam shuddered as a warm mouth closed over his dick. It was wet and warm and felt perfect. Scott dove down deep on Liam’s dick, taking all but an inch or two before coming back up. His tongue darted around Liam’s shaft, ran over the rim of his head, and Liam was powerless to do anything but enjoy. He pressed a hand onto Scott’s head, bucking his hips to meet the timing of Scott’s thrusts. Every fiber of Liam begged for release, the release he had denied it only minutes ago. He wouldn’t have the strength a second time.

“I’m gonna cum.” He said breathlessly, the words making it truer somehow. He felt his body tense up. Scott didn’t say a word, just kept sucking and licking. He might have even begun to move faster. “Scott…” Liam warned, but the older boy didn’t hear him. Or ignored him. He tried to do as Scott did, to pull him off his dick and prolong the pleasure, but he was too slow. Liam’s cum blasted forward, Scott clamping his jaw over Liam’s dick and refusing to let go as jet after jet released. Scott’s throat bobbed and quaked as he swallowed every blast. Scott finally pulled off, licking the last few drops from the end of Liam’s dick before looking up at Liam, who he, in all rights, had just claimed more securely than anyone in history.

Liam’s strength seemed to go with his orgasm, his legs growing weak. He slumped against the wall of the shower, drained. His entire body had been spent. Scott rose up, a smile on his lips as kissed Liam again. Liam tasted the cum on Scott’s tongue, and didn’t care. It was his anyway. “I don’t think I can…” Liam said nodding his head towards Scott’s dick.

“Don’t worry.” Scott said, guiding Liam’s hand to throbbing dick, clearly leaking now and begging for release. Scott placed his hand over Liam’s, and together they worked back and forth over the Alpha’s cock, teasing it further. Scott’s breath began to quicken, and he moved both of their hands faster. Liam saw it again, the tensing of Scott’s body, and he pointed his dick upwards as he reached his own climax.

Thick ropes of cum shot upward from Scott’s dick, landing on Liam’s chest, his abs, and his waist. Easily as many as Liam, if not more. They were only warm for a second, and then the water washed them from Liam’s body. What a waste, Liam thought instinctively. He could still feel where the cum had hit him, but he ran a hand over his abs to find that none of it remained.

Scott didn’t completely fall to pieces with his orgasm, although Liam noticed the Alpha extend a hand to steady himself against the shower wall, his breathing heavy. He sneaked one last kiss with Liam before reaching over and turning the water off. In the sudden silence, Liam muttered, “Best shower…ever.” They both laughed.

The boys dried themselves off and laid down in Scott’s bed. Neither wore a stitch of clothing other than their boxers, though Liam had protested even at that. Scott mentioned his mom might come in to check on him, though, and he had relented. So they lay sprawled over Scott’s bed, Liam’s head resting in the crook of Scott’s arm, their legs hopelessly tangled together.

“How’d you get rid of Kira?” Liam asked, recalling why they couldn’t have started that entire adventure sooner.

“Told her you had woken up, and I’d put you in bed as soon as you got out of the shower.” He said, smiling. He wasn’t lying. This had been the first place they came after toweling off. Their heads had left wet halos on the pillows.

“And what about Lydia’s warning? I stopped whatever was supposed to happen at the school, but something bad is still supposed to happen to you.” The pair had had an unforgettable, euphoric moment, but it was over. The real world came crashing back in on Liam, with all his fears and concerns that had been forgotten in that shower.

“Something bad is always going to happen to me.” Scott began. “So when it does, I deal with it. But I saw chance to be blissfully happy for fifteen minutes or so. I took it.”

“Fifteen minutes? We didn’t last any longer than that?” Liam joked. It had been a rough estimate, nothing more.

“You were very good, for a first timer.” Scott praised, ruffling Liam’s hair with his outstretched hand.

Liam smiled with pride, and maybe a little mischief. “You clearly weren’t. A first timer. Isaac?”

“Mhm.” Scott said, and he didn’t seem sad. Isaac may have left, but they probably had plenty of good memories between them.

Liam hesitated for his next question, afraid of what might happen. “So what does that make us now? Boyfriends?”

Scott drew Liam’s body closer to him. “Not if you don’t want to be. Isaac and I never took that label. We didn’t see the need to. If you have to give it a name, we can be Lovers. Friends with Benefits. We can call it whatever we want.”

“I like that. I don’t think I’m ready for ‘Boyfriends’ yet. Maybe someday, but for now, we’ll just be Lovers.” Liam liked the sound of the word on his tongue. Lovers.


End file.
